The University of Southern California (USC), one of the most prestigious and recognized universities ranked among the best in the nation, has recently been at the center of a sexual misconduct scandal. According to an article published in the Los Angeles Times, there have been approximately two-hundred reports of misconduct against a former gynecologist—Dr. George Tyndall.
The complaints of sexual misconduct date back to the early 1990’s and early 2000’s. The complaints came from students and coworkers that came in close contact with the doctor. Although the allegations were consistent, Dr. Tyndall continued to be allowed to practice gynecology in USC’s health center. In 2016, a report from a nurse resulted in Tyndall’s removal from the clinic. Dr. Tyndall was removed; however, he was not reported to the state medical board.
As the allegations have reached the public, there has been prominent outrage throughout the community. The university has accepted that they failed to take action to protect their students and other factors harmed by the sexual misconduct.
Are you a former USC student? Did you visit the on-campus clinic during any time as a student at USC? If you were ever a patient of Dr. Tyndall, do you recall feeling like his behavior was inappropriate in any way? If so, you might have been a victim of sexual assault by a physician.
If you were the victim of sexual harassment or misconduct by your doctor, you must seek legal assistance as soon as possible. You have rights as a victim of sexual misconduct, and you might be eligible to take action against the doctor and the school. If you would like to speak with an experienced sexual misconduct claim attorney for more information about your rights, you must contact Normandie Law Firm as soon as possible.
Normandie Law Firm is a personal injury firm dedicated to helping fight for the rights of all victims—including the victims of sexual misconduct. If you were inappropriately touched by your doctor, you could have grounds to file a lawsuit and receive compensation. Our experienced attorneys will evaluate your claim to help you gain a better understanding of your right to sue and be compensated. Do not hesitate to contact our firm—our skilled attorneys are ready to represent you.
What is Sexual Misconduct?
Sexual misconduct includes any form of unwelcome and unwanted sexual behavior. Sexual misconduct can consist of inappropriate touching, groping, or comments, for example. Many victims often mistakenly disregard signs of sexual misconduct for playfulness or joking; however, you should never feel uncomfortable or victimized by any physician. All instances of sexual misconduct must be reported and taken seriously.
Liability and Negligence in Physician Misconduct Claims
All doctors have a duty to their patients to treat them with diligence, skill, and care. As soon as a doctor breaches their duty of care and subjects their patients to any form of sexual misconduct, they can be found liable. Although the most apparent liable party is Dr. Tyndall—the doctor that committed the sexual misconduct—the university could also be liable. According to the article released by the Los Angeles Times, the allegations against Dr. Tyndall went ignored for many years. Victims reported the incident to high-ranking supervisors; however, the doctor was not terminated and continued to practice gynecology. Because USC failed to take action to address the doctor’s sexual misconduct, the university could also be held negligent and liable. If you would like more information about negligence and liability in your sexual misconduct claim, you must contact Normandie Law Firm as soon as possible.
What Type of Claim Could You File?
Unfortunately, there is not a cause of action specifically for sexual assault claims. Rather, victims of sexual misconduct by physicians could file many different claims. What claim could you file? Many victims file the following types of claims:
- Assault and battery
- Intentional infliction of emotional distress
- Negligence
Undeniably, it could be difficult to understand what type of claim you should file against the party or parties that harmed you. Because of that, it is essential that you seek legal assistance as soon as possible.
What Type of Compensation Could You Receive?
After being a victim of sexual misconduct, the last thing on your mind is probably the economic compensation you could receive. After all, economic compensation cannot undo the harm that you have suffered. However, you have the right to be compensated. Victims of sexual misconduct claims are often eligible to recover the following forms of compensation:
- Medical expenses—if you sought medical treatment for injuries that occurred during your assault, you could be compensated for those costs. You might have also sought therapy or counseling to overcome the traumatic experience; you could receive compensation.
- Lost income—if you were unable to work after being assaulted, you could also receive compensation.
- Pain and suffering—if you suffered mental and emotional distress, such as anxiety, depression, or post-traumatic stress disorder, for example, you could be compensated for your pain and suffering.
- Punitive damages—punitive damages could be awarded as a form of punishment for the defendant. Besides additional economic compensation, punitive damages could be in the form of required policy changes.
There are many forms of compensation available for recovery. No matter the estimated value of your claim and the categories of compensation that you are eligible to receive, you can trust that our attorneys will handle your claim effectively. Our attorneys will fight for your right to receive the maximum amount of compensation for your claim.
Coming Forward and Seeking Legal Assistance
For many victims of sexual assault, it is difficult to come forward and seek any form of help. After internal struggles, many victims find the strength to report the doctors with supervisors in the clinics and, in this case, with the university. However, it is common for victims to avoid mentioning or even thinking about how they were harmed. If you were harmed by Dr. Tyndall during your gynecological visit, you must find the inner-strength to seek legal assistance. Even if you already reported the incident and you have tried to move on with your life, you must contact an attorney to learn more about your rights and about how you could take action against the doctor and the university.
Normandie Law Firm
Normandie Law Firm is a firm dedicated to fighting for the rights of all victims of sexual assault. If you were victimized by your on-campus gynecologist, you might be battling with many negative effects after your experience. You must seek legal assistance as soon as possible. Our experienced sexual misconduct attorneys will represent you and help you recover the compensation that you deserve. Our law firm is based on legal accessibility; therefore, our firm offers free consultations and free second opinions to all victims of sexual assault at the hands of medical professionals. During our free consultations and free second opinions, our experienced attorneys are available to answer all your questions and address all your concerns. Our sexual assault lawyers will ensure that you have all the information necessary to file a successful claim and recover the compensation that you deserve. It does not matter if you have already spoken with an attorney at another law firm or if you have already started your claim elsewhere. If you were given misinformation that resulted in doubts and confusion after speaking with an incompetent attorney, you must contact our firm as soon as possible to get your claim back on the right track. Do not hesitate to contact Normandie Law Firm—we aim to make the legal process as simple as possible.
How can we provide free legal assistance to our clients? Our law firm offers free consultations and free second opinions as part of a Zero-Fee guarantee. Our Zero-Fee guarantee ensures that our clients never have to worry about paying any upfront legal fees for any of our services. Whether you want to start your claim or get your claim back on the right track, you can be certain that you will not be required to pay any upfront legal fees for our legal assistance. Our guarantee also establishes our contingency status. Our law firm is strictly based on contingency; therefore, our clients are never required to pay any legal fees until after our sexual assault lawyers win their claims. If you do not win your claim and receive the compensation that you deserve, you can be certain that you will not have to pay any legal fees. If you are ready to take action after you were victimized by your gynecologist, you must contact Normandie Law Firm as soon as possible.
