Doctor Sex Abuse Lawsuits

Doctors and medical professionals sometimes sexually abuse patients during medical exams or treatment. Any type of inappropriate sexual touching by a doctor that is done for sexual gratification and without a valid medical reason is considered sexual abuse or assault. Victims of doctor sexual abuse can file civil lawsuits against not just the doctor, but also against the medical practice or hospital where the doctor worked.

Our national sex abuse lawyers have recently begun increasing our focus on cases involving doctors and healthcare professionals who sexually abuse patients. If you have a potential doctor sex abuse case, call us today at 888-322-3010 or contact us online.

What Qualifies as Doctor Sex Abuse?

In most sex abuse cases, you don’t have to think very hard about whether something qualifies as sexual abuse. If a teacher has sex with a 12-year-old or a priest molests an 8-year-old altar boy, that is pretty obviously sexual abuse.

In the context of sexual abuse by doctors or medical professionals, however, identifying sexual abuse is a bit harder. The reason is that medical examinations often involve very intimate physical contact between doctor and patient. They also involve the touching of sexual organs and body parts for medical purposes. If your accountant touches your vagina — that’s obviously sexual abuse. When you go to your OB-GYN he is supposed to touch you.

The question in doctor cases is really whether the touching was medically necessary and appropriate and what the intent of the doctor was. Any type of sexual touching by a doctor that does not have a valid medical purpose and is done for the doctor’s own sexual arousal or gratification is considered sexual abuse. It can range from inappropriate touching during examinations to more severe forms of abuse, such as voyeurism or coercive sexual acts.

Civil Lawsuits for Doctor Sexual Abuse

Anyone who has been sexually abused by a doctor or medical professional in a clinical setting has the right to file a civil lawsuit and get financial compensation. Sexual abuse by a doctor can cause serious emotional damage and trauma to victims.

Although doctor sexual abuse is a crime, victims can file civil lawsuits regardless of whether the doctor faced criminal charges. Victims can file civil sex abuse lawsuits even if they never reported the doctor’s sexual abuse to anyone.

Holding Hospitals and Third Parties Liable for Doctor Sex Abuse

Victims of doctor sexual abuse can always sue the individual doctor who abused them. The problem with that strategy is that medical malpractice insurance may not cover sex abuse claims because they are considered intentional acts as opposed to negligence. The best way to get money in a doctor sex abuse lawsuit is to go after the hospital, health system, or medical practice that employed the doctor.

Hospitals and healthcare systems can be held liable for sexual assault if they knew or should have known about a doctor’s misconduct but failed to take appropriate action. Here is an example of how this works:

Let’s say Dr. Creep is an OB/GYN who has been employed by Star Health System for the past decade. Throughout this time, Star Health has received multiple complaints from Dr. Creepy’s patients regarding inappropriate sexual conduct. However, despite these reports, Star takes no action and allows Dr. Creepy to continue treating patients. Star may be held liable in a sexual abuse lawsuit for negligently enabling Dr. Creepy’s misconduct.

They key to holding third parties like hospitals and health care systems liable in doctor sex abuse cases is showing some type of negligence by the third party. The example described above is by far the most common type of negligence claim we see in doctor sex abuse cases.

Most doctors don’t just start sexually abusing patients out of the blue. It’s usually a compulsive thing thatthey have been doing for a long time. In most cases, this means at some point over the years, previous patients have complained and raised concerns.

Malpractice Insurance Coverage for Sex Abuse

Doctors’ medical malpractice insurance typically does not cover cases of doctor-patient sexual abuse. These insurance policies are designed to provide liability coverage for negligence, not intentional acts. Since sexual abuse is inherently an intentional act, malpractice insurance generally does not apply in such cases.

Some malpractice policies (especially for certain types of doctors) do have limited coverage for “intentional tort” claims like sex abuse. This coverage usually has a very low liability limit, however, like $25,000. This is why bringing claims against the doctor’s employers or medical practice is so important.

Damages in Doctor Sex Abuse Lawsuits

Victims who successfully file a civil lawsuit against a doctor for sexual assault may be entitled to financial compensation in the form of monetary damages. These damages can cover various aspects of the harm suffered, including:

Mental Pain & Suffering: Sexual assault by a doctor can cause profound emotional and psychological distress. Victims often experience severe trauma that may take years to heal, and some may never fully recover. A lawsuit can provide compensation for both past and future emotional pain and suffering caused by the abuse.
Lost Income & Wages: The psychological and emotional toll of doctor sexual abuse can impact a victim’s ability to work, leading to lost wages or reduced earning capacity. Victims can seek compensation for both past and future income lost as a result of the abuse.
Medical Expenses: Many survivors require therapy, counseling, and other mental health treatments to cope with the effects of the abuse. A successful lawsuit can cover the costs of both past and future medical care necessary for the victim’s recovery.

Verdicts & Settlements in Doctor Sex Abuse Cases

Below are examples of verdicts and settlements involving doctor sexual abuse cases:

$157 Million Verdict (New York 2024): A former pediatrician from Long Island was found liable in multiple verdicts totaling $157 million for sexually abusing children during medical examinations over several decades. More than 100 survivors filed claims under the Child Victims Act, with individual awards ranging from $10 million to $27 million. However, collecting these damages may be challenging, as the pediatrician, who lost his medical license over similar allegations, did not participate in the litigation and reportedly lacks financial resources.
$490 Million Settlement (Michigan 2023): Over 1,000 individuals, including former college football players, accused former University of Michigan sports doctor Robert Anderson of sexual abuse and assault during routine medical exams. The lawsuits alleged that the university failed to protect them from his misconduct. The University of Michigan agreed to settle for $490 million.
$71.5 Million Settlement (New York 2022): More than 70 women accused former Columbia University OB/GYN Robert Hadden of sexual assault, stating that he inappropriately touched them during medical exams, often becoming more intrusive over time. Hundreds of additional women filed similar lawsuits. In response, New York-Presbyterian Hospital and Columbia University Irving Medical Center agreed to a $71.5 million settlement.
$490 Million Settlement (Michigan 2022): The University of Michigan reached a $490 million settlement after more than 1,000 individuals, including former college football players, accused former university sports doctor Robert Anderson of sexual abuse and assault during routine medical examinations. The lawsuits alleged that the university failed to protect victims from Anderson’s misconduct.
$71.5 Million Settlement (New York 2021): Over 70 women accused former Columbia University OB/GYN Robert Hadden of sexual assault, citing inappropriate conduct during medical examinations that reportedly escalated over time. In response, New York-Presbyterian Hospital and Columbia University Irving Medical Center agreed to a $71.5 million settlement.
$1.2 Million Verdict (Connecticute 2020): A minor boy receiving care at a behavioral health facility for several months was sexually assaulted and abused by an adult female staff member. As a result, he suffered post-traumatic stress disorder and severe psychological trauma. His guardian filed a lawsuit against the facility, its adolescent medicine specialist, and its adolescent psychiatry specialist, alleging negligence and failure to prevent the abuse. The jury awarded $1,200,000 in damages.
$600,000 Settlement (Illinois 2019): A male patient in his 30s undergoing psychiatric treatment alleged that a hospital employee forced him to perform sexual acts. He claimed that the hospital ignored complaints from him and other patients regarding the employee’s misconduct. The employee was later charged with five counts of sexual assault. Before the lawsuit was formally filed, the hospital agreed to a $600,000 settlement, resolving the case under the Illinois Sexual Exploitation Act.
$175,000 Settlement: (Oregon 2018): A female prison inmate accused a corrections facility doctor of sexual abuse, alleging that he assaulted her with a medical instrument during a gynecological exam and made an inappropriate remark about her cervix. The defense argued that the doctor needed to reinsert the instrument due to difficulty locating the cervix and cited testimony from a medical assistant who denied any misconduct. The case settled for $175,000. Additional similar claims against the doctor from other inmates remain pending.
$60,000 Settlement (Wisconsin 2017): A female patient at a mental health institution alleged that an employee sexually assaulted her while she was receiving psychiatric care. She sued the facility for negligent hiring and supervision, arguing that the hospital’s failure to protect her constituted a violation of her rights as a patient. The hospital, its insurer, and the accused employee were named as defendants. Before trial, the parties reached a $60,000 settlement.

Contact Our Doctor Sex Abuse Lawyers

If you have a doctor sex abuse lawsuit we can help. Call us today at 888-322-3010 or contact us online.