Were you sexually assaulted by a doctor, nurse, or some other healthcare provider? Sexual abuse by medical professionals is a horrific violation that leaves victims with a lifetime of pain and trauma. You have the right to feel safe and protected at a medical facility. When a doctor crosses the line and commits one or acts of sexual misconduct, you have the right to sue a doctor for sexual abuse in California.
Most professionals working in healthcare do not abuse their patients, but even the small percentage that do can harm dozens or even hundreds of people throughout their career. Those who exploit their position of power to engage in sexual misconduct must be held accountable.
The legal team of Normandie Law Firm is here to provide you with information on what to do if a doctor sexually abuses you. You may have grounds to file a medical sexual abuse lawsuit, which you can learn about from a Los Angeles sexual abuse attorney. Please contact us at your earliest opportunity and schedule a free, confidential case review.
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Sexual Abuse in a Medical Setting
It can be challenging to determine if sexual abuse occurred between a doctor and patient, as medical examinations generally involve some form of physical contact. And there is no denying that some procedures, like a gynecological exam, are highly invasive. That’s why patients may be confused about what happened to them. Going over the experience with a healthcare professional sexual abuse attorney can help you figure out if a professional boundary was crossed.
Sexual assault is defined as any type of unwelcome act that is perpetrated for the sake of sexual gratification. These incidents can occur in all types of medical facilities, including hospitals, private practices, nursing homes, and clinics. Doctors have the advantage of knowing that the average patient has limited knowledge of medical procedures and treatments. So, it’s easy for them to convince the patient that what they are doing is normal. Or, they can incapacitate the patient with drugs in order to take advantage of them.
Being abused in a sexual manner is one of the most traumatizing things that can happen to someone. Quite often, the victim struggles with guilt, shame, anger, and other emotions that are difficult to process. This cycle of emotions can result in the victim becoming confused enough to doubt that they were assaulted and not going to anyone for help.
If you suspect that you were sexually abused at a medical center, please time to time to speak with a hospital and clinic sexual assault lawyer. By contacting our office today, you can explore the available legal options for victims of doctor sexual abuse.
Can I File a Lawsuit for Sexual Assault by a Doctor?
Yes, you can file a lawsuit as someone who was sexually assaulted by a doctor and obtain compensation for your physical and emotional injuries. You can also pursue criminal prosecution, which may result in a conviction and time in prison. However, victims can also sue a doctor for sexual abuse in California.
A criminal case is meant to punish the criminal that assaulted you, so it would be a direct action against the doctor or another healthcare professional. A civil lawsuit, on the other hand, gives you the chance to seek compensation for the harm resulting from sexual abuse. If you would like to explore the possibility of suing the doctor or hospital, schedule a free consultation with a medical sexual assault lawyer in Los Angeles.
Evidence for a Hospital Sexual Abuse Lawsuit
A successful lawsuit is based on the preponderance of evidence, but proving sexual assault in a medical setting can be very difficult to accomplish on your own. These cases involve much more than showing that a doctor did something to make the patient uncomfortable or offended. After all, physical contact is crucial to examining a patient and administering treatment. So, the line between what is appropriate and inappropriate conduct is not always a black and white issue.
If your instincts are telling you that something is wrong, it’s better to act on it rather than staying silent. How you resolve an incident of sexual assault is completely up to you, but it wouldn’t hurt to obtain legal advice from a medical professional sexual misconduct attorney. That’s what we’re here for, so give us a call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
SB 1182 California Sexual Assault Law
There was a time when drug possession of date rape drugs was charged as a misdemeanor rather than a felony. However, all that changed with the passage of Senate Bill 1182, which made it a felony offense to have date rape drugs for the purpose of committing sexual assault.
So, what does this have to do with your rights as a victim of medical sexual abuse? As you are probably aware, doctors can easily get hold of medications, including sedatives, which they can use to incapacitate someone. While the patient is knocked out, they can be raped or subjected to some other form of sexual misconduct. Now, these doctors have to face stiffer penalties under the law, since SB 1182 elevates their actions to a felony offense. Instead of getting off with a fine and a slap on the wrist, doctors can now face imprisonment and other harsh punishments for abusing their patients.
Statute of Limitations for Sexual Abuse in California
In California, those who were sexually abused have to file their claim by a specific deadline. Generally, adult victims are given 10 years from the incident date to file a civil lawsuit. However, the statute of limitations for child sexual assault claims is much longer. How long you can sue for sex abuse during childhood may be either of the following dates:
- Your 40th birthday, or 22 years from when you reach the age of consent
- Up to 5 years after the discovery of psychological damage resulting from childhood sex abuse
There may be other circumstances that impact the amount of time you have when it comes to a lawsuit for doctor sexual abuse. Since the deadline for a lawsuit is not a straightforward matter, we recommend that you contact an experienced attorney for sexual abuse in hospitals as soon as possible.
Hospitals Can be Liable for Sexual Abuse
As we mentioned, sexual abuse can be punished in the criminal and civil courts, meaning that you can file charges and go after the perpetrator for compensatory damages. But liability in these cases may be shared with the hospital or another facility, like a rehab center, nursing home, or psychiatric unit. While the employer did not abuse the patient directly, their negligence may have been a contributing factor.
Hospitals, for example, may have ignored allegations or red flags indicting improper conduct from one of their employees. They can also be sued for improper screening procedures that would have kept a sexual predator from working at the facility. Some places also enable a culture of sexual harassment and assault among the workers, and this can eventually result in the abuse of patients.
Essentially, sexual abuse victims have the right to sue hospitals that knew or should have known about sexually inappropriate behavior by a doctor, nurse, etc. A medical sexual abuse lawyers in Los Angeles can help you pursue a claim for sexual abuse and fight to secure the highest possible settlement.
We are acutely aware that survivors of sexual abuse are greatly disadvantaged in the fight for justice. Doctors and medical professionals in general are held in high regard, and the places they work for want to maintain a squeaky clean image. Hospitals and clinics spend considerable amounts of money to quash allegations of sexual assault or manipulate victims into a low settlement.
Legal assistance from a caring and compassionate attorney can even the playing field and help you succeed in a medical facility sexual abuse lawsuit. To protect your interests, make sure to retain the services of a lawyer with experience in medical sexual abuse by doctors. The attorneys of Normandie have the knowledge and resources to gather evidence, assemble a strong case against the hospital, and negotiate a fair settlement on your behalf. If taking your case to trial is the best option, we are more than ready to present your case before a judge and jury.
Compensation Available to Sexual Abuse Victims
With representation from a California doctor abuse attorney, you can seek various form of compensation by suing the parties that harmed you. Monetary damages from a sexual assault lawsuit include:
- Current and on-going / future medical costs
- Lost wages and income opportunities
- Pain and suffering
- Cost of hiring a lawyer for sexual abuse by doctors
- Punitive damages awarded at the jury’s discretion in cases of gross negligence or misconduct
Most lawsuits for sexual assault do not make it to court, and reaching a settlement privately is usually for the best. But there are exceptional cases where going to trial is the best course of action. A hospital sexual assault attorney can guide you through the legal process one step at a time. They can also fight to get you the maximum amount for emotional damages in doctor medical sexual abuse lawsuits. Unlike the average personal injury claim, one’s emotional suffering is the most significant factor when a victim is harmed by sexual assault.
Why Filing a Lawsuit Matters
Many victims are conflicted about contacting the authorities or a sexual abuse by doctors attorney. We can understand that nothing, at the end of the day, can make up for the mental anguish of being assaulted by a medical professional. This is why many people give up on the idea of suing the hospital for sexual misconduct.
Ultimately, each victim has the right to decide for themselves on whether a lawsuit is the right course of action. However, we have found that staying silent does nothing, while taking action on some level allows you to move forward. Filing a lawsuit is not just about money; it’s a way to feel empowered and set an example for other victims, who may be encouraged to speak out about their own experience. This can sometimes lead to a class action lawsuit for sexual abuse by a doctor, meaning that multiple plaintiffs join together and file a single claim against the liable entities.
Thanks to many brave victims who have filed claims over the years, the public has become more aware of sexual abuse within hospitals and what to do if they are assaulted. This is the key to stopping the abuser in their tracks instead of letting them traumatize dozens or hundreds of patients during their career.
As your legal advocate, our goal is to bring you compensation from a lawsuit for sexual abuse by a healthcare provider. But a secondary goal has to do with making changes in the way hospitals handle accusations of patient sexual abuse. Better oversight and hiring practices, along with a clear and effective system of reporting misconduct are essential in places that offer medical services. The more patients come forward, the greater impact we can have in the fight against sexual abuse.
Normandie Law Firm is Here to Help, 24/7
Were you abused in a sexual manner by a doctor, anesthesiologist, physical therapist, or some other medical professional? Was your child or another member of your family sexually assaulted by someone who was in charge of their medical care? Medical sexual assault victims need help to recover physically and mentally, and that includes legal advice from an attorney for abuse by nurse or doctors. Here at Normandie Law Firm, we know that these cases require a caring and compassionate approach. At the same time, it’s essential to go after the guilty parties and fight aggressively to secure a positive outcome.
All of our attorneys work on contingency, which allows you to hire a Los Angeles sexual abuse lawyer with no upfront cost. In other words, you pay $0 for the entire duration of your case, and we do not get paid until you are compensated by the responsible party. What if we fail to win your case for sexual abuse at a hospital? No worries, as we have a Zero Fee Guarantee to ensure that you owe us absolutely nothing.
A sexual assault can take away your sense of security and trust in those who have a legal duty to protect you. But you can regain control by demanding justice and sending a message that sex abuse by doctors will not be tolerated. Contact the offices of Normandie Law Firm today for a free consultation, completely free of charge.
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