Although sexual abuse by healthcare professionals is considered rare, the abuse must still be addressed. No medical professional is immune from being held accountable for the sexual abuse of his or her patients or clients. In a hospital or medical setting, patients put their trust in doctors or other healthcare professionals, and that trust should never be violated.

 

Suing Medical Professionals For Sexual Assault

If you have been sexually assaulted or abused by one of the following health care professionals, you may have a civil case and could receive monetary compensation:

  • Doctors
  • Dentists
  • Chiropractors
  • Massage Therapists
  • Mental Health Counselors
  • Psychologists
  • Psychiatrists
  • Nursing home employees
  • Juvenile Detention Center Employees
  • Physical Therapists
  • Surgeons
  • Anesthesiologists

 

What is Considered Sexual Assault by Medical Professionals?

A report on physician sexual misconduct from the Federation of State Medical Boards defines sexual misconduct as:

"...physician sexual misconduct is understood as behavior that exploits the physician-patient relationship in a sexual way. Sexual behavior between a physician and a patient is never diagnostic or therapeutic. This behavior may be verbal or physical, can occur in person or virtually, and may include expressions of thoughts and feelings or gestures that are of a sexual nature or that a patient or surrogate may reasonably construe as sexual."

Additionally, RAINN covers some of the things patients can expect in an exam (including having someone else in the room, privacy to undress, and the ability to end the exam at any time), as well as what is and is not appropriate for the examiner to do. 

Reporting Sexual Misconduct

If you have experienced sexual abuse or misconduct by a medical professional, it's important to contact the authorities, the facility, and the state medical board. You may also want to connect with an experienced sexual assault lawyer to help you through the process. 

 

Victims Deserve Compensation

The perpetrators may have already been charged and sentenced for their crimes in a criminal proceeding. However, a criminal trial doesn't provide your family with the necessary financial compensation for healing and trauma that can be secured through a civil lawsuit.

Please call us at 800-322-5573 if you or a loved one has been sexually abused by a medical professional. Our staff of attorneys, paralegals, and legal assistants have extensive experience working with survivors of sexual abuse and work hard to ensure that each survivor’s call is handled with compassion, respect, and confidentiality. Or, you can fill out the Free Case Evaluation form on this page and a qualified representative will respond to your inquiry soon.

Submit Your Free Sexual Abuse Case Evaluation to a Cooney & Conway, LLP. Attorney