Lawsuit Information Center
This page looks at the growing tide of lawsuits alleging that Boston area doctor Derrick Todd, M.D., at Bringham and Women’s Hospital sexually abused hundreds of females.
A growing number of women have come forward and filed lawsuits alleging that Dr. Todd performed unnecessary pelvic and rectal exams on them for his own sexual gratification. This page will look at who is eligible to file a lawsuit against Dr. Todd and what the potential settlement value of these cases could be.
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About Dr. Derrick Todd
Dr. Derrick Todd was well known doctor in the Boston area for many years. Dr. Todd is a rheumatologist, so he primarily treated people for arthritis and joint conditions. Dr. Todd practiced at Brigham Women’s Hospital in Boston and Charles River Medical Associates in Framingham Massachusetts. Dr. Todd practiced in the Boston area from 2009 to 2023.
Dr. Todd went to medical school at the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School. Following medical school, Dr. Todd completed his residency in Internal Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital. He then did a Fellowship at Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
Allegations of Sexual Abuse Against Dr. Todd
In 2023, allegations of inappropriate sexual touching began to emerge from a growing number of Dr. Todd’s female patients. According to reports from the Boston Globe, Dr. Todd was forced to resign from Brigham Women’s Hospital after 2 of Todd’s fellow doctors at the hospital lodged complaints which led to an internal investigation. Dr. Todd was also forced to leave his private clinical practice at Charles River Medical Associates. The hospital also reported Todd’s departure to the Department of Public Health and the Board of Registration in Medicine.
Nearly all of the former patients of Dr. Todd are women and their allegations against the doctor indicate a very similar pattern of abuse. Under the guise of providing “primary care” or preventative care to certain female patients, Dr. Todd would bring the patients in for a physical examination.
During the exam, Dr. Todd would have the patients disrobe or wear a gown. Then Dr. Todd would subject the patients to completely unnecessary vaginal, breast, and rectal examinations involving excessive and non-clinical forms of touching. The examinations had no medical purpose and were done for Dr. Todd’s sexual gratification.
Some of Dr. Todd’s victims claim that he followed up and compounded his sexually abusive examinations by contacting them through text outside the office setting. Dr. Todd would also ask the patients inappropriate and personally invasive questions, both during the examinations and afterward through private texts.
Lawsuits Against Dr. Todd
In October 2023, a group of Dr. Todd’s former patients filed a pair of class action lawsuits against him and against his former employers, including Brigham Women’s Hospital and Charles River Medical Associates. The first Dr. Todd sexual abuse lawsuit was filed on October 11, 2023 and the second lawsuits was filed just two weeks later. To date, a total of over 200 plaintiffs have joined these lawsuits alleging that they were sexually abused by Dr. Todd.
The defendants in these lawsuits include not only Dr. Todd himself, but also his former employers: Brigham Women’s Hospital and Charles River Medical Associates. The lawsuit claims that the hospital and the medical practice were negligent in failing to properly supervise, train and monitor Dr. Todd as their employee.
Both of the lawsuits also name as defendants 4 doctors who were the owners and/or executive officers of Charles River Medical Associates, the clinical practice where Dr. Todd worked.
Civil Lawsuits for Sexual Abuse in Massachusetts
Under Massachusetts law, any survivor of sexual abuse or assault possesses the right to initiate a civil lawsuit and pursue financial compensation. Victims can bring a sexual abuse lawsuit in Massachusetts irrespective of whether criminal charges were filed in connection to the abuse. Notably, survivors retain the right to bring a civil lawsuit even if they never reported or disclosed the abuse to anyone at the time it occurred.
Initiating a civil lawsuit for sexual abuse is a straightforward process—victims only need to be willing to provide testimony about the abuse under oath. Supporting the claims can involve presenting additional evidence. Victims who bring civil sexual abuse lawsuits, especially against dirty doctors like Dr. Todd, can get significant financial compensation.
Estimated Settlement Value of Dr. Todd Sex Abuse Lawsuits
Cases alleging sexual abuse by doctors consistently have a high settlement value. Our lawyers anticipate that the sex abuse lawsuits against Dr. Todd will have an individual settlement range between $400,000 and $1,500,000. Of course, the current Dr. Todd lawsuits are putative class actions. If these cases are allowed to move forward as class actions (which is doubtful in our opinion), then there would be a global settlement deal and individual payouts would be lower.
One factor that could potentially push the value of the Dr. Todd sex abuse lawsuits significantly higher is whether Dr. Todd’s former employers (the hospital and his practice group) had prior knowledge about his conduct. It is rare the signs and symptoms are not there to be seen. If they knew or had reason to know that Dr. Todd was performing inappropriate sexual examinations, and did nothing about it, these defendants could have significant liability and will be willing to settle.
How Are Sex Abuse Settlements Calculated?
- Medical Expenses: Costs for immediate and ongoing medical treatment resulting from the assault, including therapy and counseling.
- Lost Wages: Compensation for any time the victim was unable to work due to the assault. We often see victims who cannot work after suffering a sexual assault at the hands of a doctor with allegations like those presented against Dr. Todd.
- Loss of Earning Capacity: If the assault has long-term effects on the victim’s ability to earn a living, this can also be considered.
Non-Economic Damages
- Pain and Suffering: This refers to the physical and emotional distress caused by the doctor’s sexual assault. Emotional distress and loss of enjoyment of life are really subcategories of pain and suffering. This umbrella term covers everything you have endured and will endure from the cruel abuse you have suffered.
- Emotional Distress: For mental suffering, including anxiety, depression, PTSD, which doesn’t always have a direct financial cost but significantly affects the victim’s life.
- Loss of Enjoyment of Life: Compensation for the victim’s reduced ability to enjoy daily life activities.
Punitive Damages
Contact Us About a Sex Abuse Lawsuit Against Dr. Derrick Todd
More and more former patients of Dr. Todd are continuing to come forward to report that they were victims and bring civil lawsuits. If you were a former patient of Dr. Todd and you were subjected to inappropriate sexual touching during his treatment, you may be able to bring your own sex abuse lawsuit and get financial compensation.
Call us today at 800-553-8082 or contact us online.