Doctors occupy a position of deep trust, especially in situations where patients are vulnerable, exposed, and seeking care. Unfortunately, some doctors exploit that trust and take advantage of patients for their own sexual gratification. This kind of abuse is a violation of both ethical and legal standards. If you have experienced sexual abuse, assault, or misconduct by a physician, OB-GYN, or any other healthcare professional, you have every right to pursue a civil lawsuit. And that lawsuit can target more than just the doctor. Hospitals, clinics, and healthcare systems that allowed the abuse to happen can also be held accountable.

Filing a civil lawsuit is not the same thing as pressing criminal charges. Criminal prosecution is about punishing the offender. Civil litigation is about justice for the survivor. A successful civil claim can result in significant compensation for hospital sex abuse survivors, covering not only physical harm but also emotional trauma, therapy costs, and long-term suffering. These lawsuits give survivors a legal tool to demand accountability from both the abuser and the institutions that enabled the abuse.

A doctor sexual abuse lawyer focuses on exactly this kind of case. These attorneys understand how to uncover the internal failures that allowed abuse to go unchecked. Was there a history of complaints? Did other patients raise concerns? Did the hospital choose to protect the doctor instead of protecting patients? These are the kinds of questions that shape hospital sexual abuse lawsuits. Often, the truth is hidden in medical records, complaint logs, and internal emails. But with the right legal strategy, that truth can come to light.

Holding both the individual and the institution accountable is not just about compensation. It is about sending a message that healthcare providers will not get away with looking the other way. If you were harmed by a physician, a civil lawsuit gives you the chance to speak up, take back control, and seek the justice you deserve.

Our doctor sexual abuse lawyers represent victims of sexual assault by medical professionals and doctors. We can hold doctors and their employers accountable and get you the compensation you deserve. Call us today for a free consultation at 800-553-8082 or reach out to us online. 

• Sexual Abuse Lawsuits
• Settlement Amounts in Sex Abuse Lawsuits
• Statute of Limitations in Child Abuse

 

What is Sexual Abuse By a Physician?

The threshold question is what gives rise to a sexual assault lawsuit against a doctor?  Given that examinations often involve the exposure of intimate body parts and physical contact, identifying inappropriate behavior can be a challenge and there are some cases where you “know” the doctor’s intent but it is difficult to prove.

But in most of doctor sex abuse lawsuits, the offense is obvious.  There is no question that sexual assault by a medical professional occurs when a doctor violates your privacy by engaging in unwarranted sexual touching. Any type of sexual touching that does not have a valid medical purpose and is done for the purpose of sexual gratification is sexual abuse that may entitle the victim to compensation.

Below are some examples of sexual assault and abuse by doctors:

• Touching intimate areas without using gloves.
• Conducting procedures that feel unnecessary, such as touching sensitive areas or causing undue pain.
• Disregarding your right to privacy by refusing to allow a nurse to be present during examinations.
• Pressuring you to undress when it is unnecessary, such as insisting on removing clothing for a consultation about a non-related issue like a sprained ankle.
• Displaying sexually suggestive expressions or gestures before, during, and after examinations.
• Performing unnecessary vaginal or rectal examinations that involve attempts to sexually stimulate
• Pressuring you into medically unnecessary physical examinations, such as insisting on a gynecological exam when the visit is for a different purpose, like a flu shot.
• Engaging in voyeurism by installing video cameras in examination rooms and bathrooms.
• Making seductive or sexual remarks before, during, and after examinations.
• Coercing or forcing you into providing sexual favors in exchange for highly addictive drugs like hydromorphone and oxycontin.
• Taking photos of a patient without consent or without any medical purpose

Victims Have the Right to Sue Doctors for Sexual Assault

Sexual assault or abuse by a doctor or medical professional is a crime. Doctors who commit sexual assault are frequently criminally prosecuted and can have their medical license revoked. The problem with pursuing criminal charges is that you, as the victim, have no real control over the process. The authorities may or may not take you seriously, and there is no guarantee that they will actually bring charges.

By contrast, every victim of sexual abuse by a doctor has a right to bring a civil lawsuit against the doctor for sexual battery. Victims can bring a sex abuse lawsuit against a doctor even if they never reported the abuse to the police or even told anyone about what happened.

Victims Can Get Financial Compensation for Doctor Sex Abuse

Victims who bring a successful civil lawsuit against a doctor for sexual assault can get financial compensation in the form of money damages. In a doctor sex abuse lawsuit, victims can be awarded money for three major categories of damages:

• Mental Pain & Suffering: Being sexually assaulted by a physician is an emotionally harmful event. Victims can feel acute mental pain and distress as a result of the incident. It can often take years for victims of sexual abuse to fully heal and some never do. When victims bring a doctor sex abuse lawsuit, they are entitled to get money damages not just for past mental pain and suffering, but also for future pain and suffering caused by the abuse.
• Lost Income / Wages: The damaging impact of doctor sexual abuse can often result in lost wages or lost income as the victim may be unable to go to work or earn a living as before. Plaintiffs in sex assault cases can get compensation for past and future lost wages.
• Medical Expenses: Therapy and other forms of mental healthcare are often necessary for victims of physician sexual abuse. If the victim brings a lawsuit, they can get money damages for the cost (past and future) of this treatment.

Who Can File a Doctor Sex Assault Lawsuit?

Anyone who has been the victim of sexual abuse by a medical provider can file a civil lawsuit. Spouses of the victim can also bring their own claims for loss of consortium, which is basically damage to the marital relationship. If the victim of the sexual abuse is a child or an elderly person, their parents or family members can bring the case on their behalf.

How to Hold Hospitals and Third-Parties Liable for Doctor Sex Abuse

One of the biggest challenges in doctor and hospital sexual abuse lawsuits is that the physician’s malpractice insurance often will not cover the harm. Insurance companies argue that sexual assault is intentional, not a medical error, and therefore not covered. That leaves victims with few options if the doctor has no meaningful assets. And most of the time, that is exactly the case. So where does a survivor turn for justice and compensation? The answer is often the hospital, medical group, or health system that allowed the abuse to happen.

In hospital sex abuse lawsuits, the goal is to hold the employer accountable. That includes hospitals, clinics, and healthcare corporations that ignored complaints, failed to investigate red flags, or even actively covered up the misconduct. These institutions can be legally responsible when they knew or should have known a physician posed a danger to patients. Many survivors find out only years later that their abuser had a long history of similar behavior, often documented in complaint files that went nowhere. These cases are not just about one bad doctor. They are about systemic failure.

As a doctor sexual abuse lawyer, the key is to prove that failure. That usually means showing a pattern. Maybe a nurse reported something years ago. Maybe several patients said something felt off. Maybe there were written warnings in the doctor’s personnel file. If the hospital did nothing, that is negligence. And that is where a strong hospital sexual abuse case can be built.

A doctor or hospital sex abuse lawsuit is primarily about money. That is how the civil justice system works.  Our doctor sexual abuse attorneys do not run from this.  But, for many victims, there is a lot more at stake. It is about holding institutions accountable for what they allowed. A skilled attorney knows how to uncover the facts and force the hospital to answer for its role. These lawsuits can lead to meaningful settlements or verdicts, and they often push hospitals to make long-overdue changes to protect future patients.

So ask yourself the right questions. Did the hospital ignore warning signs? Did they put reputation ahead of patient safety? Did they protect the doctor instead of the people they were supposed to serve? That is where the truth is. That is where justice starts. And that is where real hospital sex abuse accountability begins.

Does Malpractice Insurance Cover Doctor Sexual Abuse?

Unfortunately, medical malpractice insurance for doctors usually does not provide coverage for doctor-patient sexual abuse. Malpractice insurance for healthcare professionals, like doctors, only provides liability coverage for negligence. These policies do not cover “intentional acts” by the doctor or healthcare provider. Sexual abuse of a patient is, by definition, an intentional act. That is why malpractice insurance coverage usually doesn’t apply.

There are ways around this problem, however, if you have a skilled and experienced lawyer. The best way to avoid this roadblock is by suing a hospital, medical practice, or other institution that employed the doctor. For example, if the doctor was an employee of a hospital or large healthcare “system” (which most doctors are these days) you can bring your sex abuse lawsuit against the hospital based on negligent hiring or negligent supervision.

Examples of Doctor Sexual Abuse

There have been a number of well-publicized instances in recent years of doctors being held accountable for sexually abusing and assaulting patients. Many of these doctors have been OB/GYNs who sexually abuse vulnerable female patients during exams. However, any type of doctor or medical professional can commit sexual abuse. Below are examples of some of the more well-known cases of doctors committing sexual abuse.

Dr. Barry Brock – OB/GYN (California)

Dr. Barry Brock was a very well-known and respected OB-GYN based in Los Angeles for nearly 40 years. A growing number of Dr. Brock’s former patients are now coming forward and asserting allegations that he sexually abused them during examinations. Many of these patients are filing sex abuse lawsuits against Dr. Brock.

Dr. Derrick Todd – Rheumatologist (Massachusetts)

Dr. Derrick Todd was a rheumatologist in the Boston area who worked at at Brigham Women’s Hospital in Boston and Charles River Medical Associates from 2009 to 2023. A large group of women have come forward and filed abuse lawsuits against Dr. Todd, claiming that he performed unnecessary pelvic and rectal exams on them for his own sexual gratification.

Dr. Michael Stockin – Army Doctor (Washington)

Dr. Michael Stockin was a pain management doctor for the U.S. Army. Dr. Stockin was most recently posted at Joint Base Lewis-McChord near Tacoma, Washington. Dr. Stockin now stands accused of sexually abusing a large number of his male patients by performing medically unnecessary exams and sexual touching during visits. Victims of Dr. Stocking are bringing sex abuse lawsuits against the Army.

Dr. David Broadbent – OB-GYN (Utah)

Dr. David Broadbent was an OB-GYN who practiced in the Provo and Orem areas of Utah for many years. Dr. Broadbent has been accused of sexual abuse during medical exams by a growing number of female patients. Dr. Broadbent would target very young, attractive female patients and he would engage in highly inappropriate sexual touching (often without gloves) during exams for his own gratification. Over a hundred victims have already filed sex abuse lawsuits against Dr. Broadbent.

Harry Bloomfield – Therapist (California)

Dr. Harold Bloomfield was a nationally known psychologist and author of many popular self-help books. Dr. Bloofield practiced in the San Diego area. In 2001, Dr. Bloomfield was criminally prosecuted for sexual abuse of patients, and a group of 7 women brought civil lawsuits claiming that Dr. Bloomfield had drugged and then sexually assaulted them.

Dr. Bradford Bomba – Sports Doctor (Indiana)

Dr. Bradford Bomba was the team doctor for the Indiana University basketball team and other athletic teams at the IU. Over the course of several decades, Dr. Bomba sexually abused countless student-athletes with invasive and unnecessary sexual touching during exams. A growing number of victims are filing sex abuse lawsuits against Dr. Bomba and Indiana University.

Dr. William Thompson – Infectious Disease (California)

Dr. William Thompson IV, M.D., was a prominent doctor in Orange County, California. Dr. Thompson now stands accused of sexually abusing many of his male patients during examinations with unnecessary rectal and genital exams on them. Sexual abuse lawsuits against Dr. Thompson are now being filed in California.

Dr. Robert Anderson – Sport Doctor (Michigan)

Dr. Robert Anderson was a doctor at the University of Michigan. For over 30 years, Dr. Anderson sexually abused young patients while administrators at UM did nothing. In 2023, the University agreed to a $490 million settlement to resolve claims by some of Dr. Anderson’s former victims. Victims can still file Dr. Anderson sexual abuse claims and get compensation.

Dr. Michael J. Gilmore – Internal Medicine (Maine)

Dr. Michael J. Gilmore was the owner and primary practitioner at Maine Functional Medicine in Bangor, ME. Dr. Gilmore’s medical license has been suspended recently after the state medical board found that he sexually abused a young female patient by touching her breasts and genitals without a medical purpose.

Dr. David Moore – OB/GYN (Indiana)

Dr. David Moore was an OB/GYN in the Indianapolis area for many years. Dr. Moore now stands accused of sexually abusing countless female patients during examinations. Dr. Moore allegedly made inappropriate comments, took pictures of women’s genitals on his phone, and performed unnecessary and inappropriate vaginal and rectal exams. Our firm is investigating Dr. David Moore sex abuse lawsuits.

Dr. Robert Altman – OB/GYN (California)

Dr. Robert Altman is an OB/GYN who has practiced in Modesto, California, for several decades. Dr. Altman was just recently accused by the California Medical Board of sexual abuse of a patient. Although the complaint filed by the medical board only involves a single patient, other former patients of Dr. Altman’s have recently come forward with accusations.

Dr. Barry Brock – OB/GYN (California)

Dr. Barry Brock was a very well-known and respected OB-GYN based in Los Angeles for nearly 40 years. A growing number of Dr. Brock’s former patients are now coming forward and asserting allegations that he sexually abused them during examinations. Many of these patients are filing sex abuse lawsuits against Dr. Brock.

Dr. Oumair Aejaz – Internal Medicine (Michigan)

Dr. Oumair Aejaz is an internal medicine doctor who worked at several hospitals in the Detroit suburbs, including Henry Ford Macomb Hospital and Ascension Genesys Hospital. Dr. Aejaz has been criminally charged with sexually abusing many patients and also taking videos and pictures of patients and his acts of abuse. Sex abuse lawsuits against Dr. Aejaz are being filed.

Dr. Darius Paduch – Urologist (New York)

Dr. Darius Paduch was a Urologist in New York City and Long Island who specialized in male infertility. Dr. Paduch was criminally convicted and sentenced for sexually abusing many of his male patients during medical examinations, under the guise of medical treatment for infertility. Sex abuse lawsuits against Dr. Paduch have been filed by a growing number of victims.

Settlement Value of Doctor Sexual Abuse Lawsuits

The settlement value of sexual abuse lawsuits against doctors depends on many factors. One of the most significant factors is whether there is a third-party employer, such as a hospital or healthcare system, that can be held liable. Intentional acts such as sexual abuse are typically not covered by a doctor’s malpractice insurance. That means that financial success in a doctor sex abuse case is very often dependent on having a strong third-party liability claim against the hospital or other institution. Below are examples of verdicts and settlements involving sexual abuse by physicians.

• 2025, New York: $1.6 Billion Verdict. A former pediatrician, Stuart Copperman, was found liable for sexually abusing more than 100 female patients during medical examinations over several decades in Long Island. The abuse spanned from the 1960s through the 1990s and resulted in a $1.6 billion default judgment after Copperman failed to respond to the lawsuits. Individual awards ranged from $500,000 to $32 million. Copperman lost his medical license in 2000 but was never criminally prosecuted.  This is more of a moral victory.  Collecting the full damages, perhaps any damages, will be nearly impossible.
• 2024, Illinois: $453 Million Settlement. Endeavor Health agreed to a $453 million settlement in response to hundreds of sexual abuse allegations against former OB-GYN Dr. Fabio Ortega. The claims involved more than 300 women who alleged they were subjected to inappropriate and abusive conduct during medical examinations at Swedish Hospital in Chicago. The lawsuits painted a disturbing picture of repeated misconduct throughout Ortega’s employment, with many women stating that hospital staff and leadership were aware of complaints but failed to intervene or remove him from patient care.  It was basically an open secret. Plaintiffs in these hospital sex abuse lawsuits argued that Endeavor Health and Swedish Hospital demonstrated a clear pattern of negligence. Internal reports and patient complaints reportedly raised red flags for years, yet Ortega was allowed to continue treating women without meaningful oversight or consequences. The legal claims asserted that the hospital prioritized protecting its image over protecting its patients. This type of institutional failure is at the core of many physician sex abuse lawsuits, where the harm extends far beyond one individual and into the system that enabled the abuse.
• 2023, California: $200 Million Settlement. Kaiser Permanente entered into a $200 million settlement after multiple patients came forward with sexual abuse allegations against its physicians. The agreement included a $50 million fine and a $150 million commitment to expand mental health resources over five years. Specific details about individual claims were not released, but the company acknowledged the need for systemic reform following internal investigations.
• 2024, Michigan: $138.7 Million Settlement. The U.S. Department of Justice reached a $138.7 million settlement with 139 victims of former USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar. The plaintiffs alleged that the FBI failed to properly investigate early reports of abuse, allowing Nassar to continue victimizing girls and young women. This payout comes in addition to earlier settlements totaling more than $880 million from Michigan State University and USA Gymnastics.
• 2024, New York $157 Million Verdict. A former pediatrician from Long Island was found liable in a series of verdicts totaling $157 million for allegations of serial sexual abuse against children. The abuse reportedly took place during medical examinations and spanned several decades. More than 100 survivors filed claims against the pediatrician under the Child Victims Act, with damages for individual cases ranging from $10 million to $27 million. But collecting these damages may prove difficult, as the pediatrician, whose medical license was revoked amid similar allegations, did not participate in the litigation and reportedly lacks financial resources. (There is another huge verdict for this same pediatrician in 2025, which we talk about above.)
• 2023, West Virginia: $23 Million Settlement. A former physician associated with a Charleston clinic was accused of sexually abusing patients while they were under anesthesia during routine procedures. The Charleston Area Medical Center agreed to a $23 million settlement to resolve a class-action lawsuit brought by numerous victims. The doctor was previously convicted of first-degree sexual abuse and sentenced to five years in prison.
• 2022, Michigan: $490 Million Settlement. More than 1,000 people, including ex-college football players, leveled accusations of sexual abuse and assault against former University of Michigan sports doctor Robert Anderson. They asserted that Anderson subjected them to sexual assault and abuse during regular examinations, with the claim that the university did not adequately safeguard them from his actions. The University of Michigan has settled these lawsuits, agreeing to pay $490 million.
• 2021, New York: $71.5 Million Settlement. A group of over 70 women accused former Columbia University OB/GYN Robert Hadden of sexual assault for inappropriately touching them during examinations. Not atypically, many women claimed Hadden became more intrusive during subsequent exams. Hundreds of other women filed similar lawsuits. New York-Presbyterian Hospital and Columbia University Irving Medical Center agreed to settle for $71.5 million.
• 2021, California: $1.1 Billion Settlement. Over 700 women accused former USC gynecologist George Tyndall of sexual assault during examinations. The lawsuits alleged that USC failed to protect them from Tyndall despite having reason to know about his actions. The university agreed to settle for $1.1 billion.
• 2021, West Virginia: $23 Million Settlement. The Charleston Area Medical Center has agreed to pay $23 million to settle allegations of sexual assault during medical treatments. The claims were brought by women who reported being molested while under anesthesia during colonoscopy procedures at the West Virginia Medical Center. The assaults were committed by a former gastroenterologist, who was convicted of first-degree sexual abuse and sentenced to five years in prison.
• 2017, Ohio: $867,500 Settlement: a 46-year-old female, reportedly suffered from severe depression and post-traumatic stress disorder after her treating physician, defendant Terrence McCoy, then an internal medicine physician, initiated and engaged in a consensual sexual relationship with Beattie while treating her for mental health issues. The plaintiff contended that the defendant committed medical malpractice in failing to adhere to the minimal standards of care of similar practitioners under the same or similar circumstances.

Contact Us About a Doctor Sex Abuse Lawsuit

If a doctor or healthcare professional sexually abused you, we can help you get justice. Contact us today online or call 800-553-8082 to learn more about how we may be able to help you.