Sexual abuse and assault by doctors and other trusted medical professionals is one of the most egregious breaches of trust imaginable. Because of the intimate nature of the patient-doctor relationship, victims of physician sexual abuse may not initially realize or understand that certain actions or behaviors constitute abuse. Victims often feel confused, embarrassed or ashamed and may be hesitant to come forward, thinking that the doctor must “know best.”
Living with the trauma of sexual abuse can have long-lasting emotional and mental health effects. If you think you may have been the victim of abuse by your doctor, we encourage you to report the behavior. You may be entitled to monetary compensation for your suffering whether you file an individual lawsuit or join a class action.
In addition to individual perpetrators, the institutions and organizations they worked for can also be held accountable for allowing the abuse to occur. Management, administrators, and other physicians who knew, or should have known, what was happening may be included in any lawsuit against a doctor.
These conversations can be difficult but our compassionate and supportive lawyers are ready to listen to your story. There is no fee to reach out and share your experience – our conversations will always be kept confidential.
Warning Signs of Sexual Abuse by Your Doctor
Always trust your instincts. If a healthcare professional has made you question his or her conduct, or made you feel uncomfortable, please report the behavior and reach out for help. Any of these actions should raise concern:
- Performing breast or pelvic exams that are unrelated to your condition
- Performing exams that are unusually long or repetitive
- Asking sexually explicit questions or making sexual comments
- Sharing explicit details about their own life
- Not adequately explaining the reason for a procedure
- Touching in an inappropriate manner
- Texting or communicating about non-medical issues
- Scheduling appointments outside office hours
- Not properly documenting the visit
- Asking you to keep secrets
Sexual abuse is a traumatic experience and can have life-long physical and psychological effects on survivors. Conversations about sexual abuse are difficult but our compassionate and supportive sexual abuse lawyers are ready to listen to your story. Call us at (800) 451-4471. There is no fee to reach out and share your experience – our conversations will always be kept confidential – and we will tell you honestly if we think you have a valid claim. If so, we will aggressively fight for your right to financial compensation and hold the perpetrator accountable for the terrible harm done to you.
Shepard O’Donnell is now pursuing claims of sexual abuse against: