Doctors and other medical professionals have a duty to treat their patients with the utmost care and respect. Unfortunately, this does not always happen, and medical professionals end up abusing their patients in some way. If you or someone close to you has suffered sexual abuse by a doctor or medical professional, we can help. At Arfaa Law Group, our Baltimore medical malpractice attorneys can examine the facts of your case and help you determine your legal options.
A former USA Gymnastics doctor, Larry Nassar, has been all over the news lately for sexually abusing his patients. The list of known victims has grown to 265, and he was recently sentenced to 175 years in prison for the decades of abuse that took place. His victims included Olympic gold medal winners Aly Raisman and Jordyn Wieber. Unfortunately, sexual misconduct by medical doctors is more common than you may think.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution analyzed more than 100,000 medical disciplinary records dating back to 1999 and discovered that more than 3,100 doctors across the country had been found guilty of sexual misconduct. More than 2,400 doctors’ cases clearly involved patients. The improprieties included abusing patients, harassing employees, and viewing child pornography. Perhaps the most shocking finding of the report, however, was that half of the physicians disciplined for abusing patients still have medical licenses. In another survey of nearly 500 women conducted by the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network (RAINN), 27 percent said they had been violated by a doctor; the doctor’s behavior ranged from lewd comments to masturbation, wrongful touching, and even rape.
Sexual abuse takes place when a sexual relationship takes place between a medical professional and a person he or she is treating. In Maryland, professional negligence happens when there is a breach of the duty of care between professionals and their clients. In order to establish professional negligence, the plaintiff is required to demonstrate the following: i) the professional owed the plaintiff a duty of care; ii) the professional breached the duty of care owed to the plaintiff by failing to use the level of care that a reasonably prudent professional in good standing would have used in the same situation; and iii) the professional’s breach was a direct cause of the plaintiff’s injury or harm. For instance, a therapist’s conduct would be compared to what a reasonably prudent therapist would have done in the same situation when treating a patient.
Sexual impropriety by a doctor or medical professional can have devastating consequences for a patient, including depression, anxiety, chronic stress, and other mental health conditions. These conditions can take a significant amount of time and money to treat. As a result, Maryland allows victims of professional negligence to recover a variety of damages from the at-fault party, such as medical expenses, therapy costs, the cost of future care, lost wages, and any other expenses related to the abuse.
If you or someone close to you was a victim of sexual misconduct by a medical professional, we can help. At Arfaa Law Group, our knowledgeable and hard-working Baltimore professional negligence attorneys understand how to handle these challenging cases. With years of experience, we know how to advance your interests and help you seek the compensation you deserve for your harm. To discuss your case in more detail, do not hesitate to call 410-889-1850 or reach us through our website.
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