Maison Law represents victims of sexual abuse in California, including those that have experienced abuse in medical settings throughout the state. One of the more high-profile examples involves Dr. Barry Brock, an OB-GYN who spent years working at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. If you or someone you care about has experienced sexual abuse or any other mistreatment that’s caused you injuries, our team can help. Contact us today for a free consultation.
Do You Need a Lawyer?
Anytime there’s a situation where there’s sexual abuse, it’s an incredible betrayal–especially in a medical setting. According to KTLA, Dr. Brock allegedly took advantage of dozens of patients over the years, both by doing medically traumatic procedures and sexually abusing vulnerable patients under his care. Dr. Brock’s reputation around the hospital led to staff calling him “Brock the Butcher.”
And while this treatment and abuse gives you certain legal rights, the actual legal process can be overwhelming. At Maison Law, we are here to support you and guide you through the challenges as you seek justice for the sexual abuse allegations against Dr. Brock or any other medical professional.
While you’re not legally required to have a lawyer in California, filing a sexual abuse claim, especially against a doctor, hospital, or any other involved parties takes experience and commitment. That’s where our team at Maison Law can help you by:
- Investigating and documenting every instance of abuse to build a strong case.
- Creating a clear timeline of the abuse, identifying those responsible.
- Gathering and putting together the necessary evidence to support your claim.
- Standing up for your rights during negotiations to make sure you get a fair result.
More than anything, we want to protect your rights while giving you the necessary support to make this incredibly challenging time easier for you and your family. We offer free initial consultations and work on a contingency-fee basis, so you don’t have to pay anything upfront.
How Do Sexual Abuse Incidents Happen in Medical Settings?
The lawsuits filed against Dr. Brock and Cedar-Sinai allege pretty troubling behavior. But unfortunately, it’s also not uncommon to see these types of incidents, particularly in medical settings. As these lawsuits show, it can involve any number of potential incidents, usually involving:
- Rape
- Sexual abuse over a period of time or single sexual assaults
- Sexual harassment
- Inappropriate comments or touching
- Improper use of medical devices
- Subjecting patients to abuse from other patients
The question then becomes, how do these things happen? As you might expect, it has a lot to do with the individuals, but also the hospital’s environment itself:
- During exams or procedures – If medical staff aren’t supervised properly, especially during sensitive times like surgery or sedation, they can abuse patients without being caught. This especially happens if the hospital doesn’t properly supervise their staff or doesn’t check their backgrounds.
- Unnecessary exams or procedures – Some doctors might perform exams that aren’t needed, using the opportunity to abuse patients. This can happen if the hospital didn’t thoroughly check their qualifications or past behavior.
- Inappropriate touching or behavior – Abusers can cross boundaries if their supervisors aren’t paying attention or don’t act on complaints.
- Using their authority – When hospitals don’t create a safe and transparent environment, doctors or nurses might use their power to take advantage of patients, knowing they won’t be reported.
- Weak reporting systems – If a hospital doesn’t take patient complaints seriously or has a poor system for reporting misconduct, abusers can continue harming others without facing consequences.
- Negligent hiring or supervision – When hospitals or clinics fail to properly hire or supervise their staff, it frequently results in abuse or other incidents happening.
No matter what the rationale or conditions are, sexual abuse or assault in a medical setting isn’t just inappropriate, but it’s also against the law. But even with legal options, the sheer trauma and pain that results from these incidents make taking action extremely difficult. Still, legal options are a necessary part of holding both the perpetrator and hospital accountable.
What Legal Options Do You Have After Sexual Abuse at Cedar-Sinai?
If you believe that you’ve experienced sexual abuse or assault from Dr. Brock or some other medical professional at Cedars-Sinai, you have certain legal options. First, it’s a crime, which means the police should be involved to investigate and press criminal charges. Secondly, as a victim of injury, you also have the right to file a civil claim for damages. This is a critical step in recovering from the trauma–physically, financially, and emotionally.
You generally have two options:
- File an insurance claim (if the perpetrator is known and has insurance)
- File a personal injury lawsuit
The insurance company may offer a settlement after conducting an investigation, which can avoid the need for a lawsuit. This process involves collecting statements and evidence, much like in a lawsuit’s discovery phase. Both parties typically negotiate for a settlement, and court-mandated mediation may be used to try and resolve the case.
If no settlement is reached, the case moves to trial, where a judge and jury decide the outcome. They will determine the amount of “damages” you’re able to recover for your injuries and losses, which often includes:
- Medical expenses
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress
- Loss of companionship or quality of life
- Punitive damages (for punishing the wrongdoer)
In these types of cases, there’s still a deadline for filing a claim. But given the traumatic nature of these incidents, California law gives you and others more time to file, depending on when you discover the abuse:
- Assaults after January 1, 2019 – You have 10 years from the date of the assault to file a lawsuit.
- Assaults between January 1, 2009, and January 1, 2019 – Thanks to California’s AB 2777, survivors have until December 31, 2026, to file a lawsuit during a special three-year “lookback” window.
Even with extended time, it’s important to act quickly to link the abuse or assault to your injuries and damages in your civil claim. And like any claim, you usually have to first figure out who’s responsible.
Who Has to Pay For Your Damages in a Sexual Abuse or Assault Claim Against Cedar-Sinai?
Cedar-Sinai Medical Center is a huge hospital with thousands of people working there, but not everyone there is employed by the hospital directly. And in cases of sexual abuse or assault there, the person who assaulted you is going to carry the main responsibility–or liability–for paying for your damages since they were negligent and caused your injuries. But again, hospitals like Cedar Sinai are going to at least share some of that liability, since the injuries happened under their watch.
At the same time, just like any injury situation, there’s others that may be involved when it comes to paying for your damages:
- Hospital administration – They could be responsible if they didn’t keep the hospital safe or if they ignored previous reports of misconduct.
- Security staff – If hospital security didn’t do enough to protect patients or respond properly when something happened, they might share the blame.
- Medical staff – They could be at fault if they knew about risks or past incidents and didn’t take action, or if they were directly involved.
- Outside contractors – If workers hired by the hospital made the place unsafe or were involved in the abuse, they could also be held responsible.
Being a victim of sexual abuse is a serious violation, and going through the legal process can feel overwhelming. But taking legal action is important, and so too is taking steps to protect your claim.
How Can You Protect Your Sexual Abuse Claim?
After being sexually abused or assaulted, it can feel overwhelming to know what to do next. But there are important steps you can take to protect yourself and your rights, especially when it happens at a place like Cedars-Sinai:
- Document what happened – Try to record what happened as soon as possible. Take photos of any injuries, and write down everything you remember, including details about the perpetrator.
- Get medical care – Your health comes first. Get immediate medical attention for any injuries and to collect forensic evidence. You’ll probably want to do this at a different hospital, but this step is key for both your recovery and any future legal action.
- Report the incident – It can be hard, but reporting the incident is crucial. You can inform the hospital administration and report the incident to the police, sheriff’s department, or California’s Sexual Assault Unit. Cedars-Sinai probably also has specific procedures and staff to guide you through the process.
- Talk to someone – These incidents usually have a deep emotional and mental impact on survivors. It’s important to reach out for counseling or therapy to help process your feelings and begin moving forward.
These steps not only lay the groundwork for a legal case but also help you get the care and support you need after such a traumatic experience.
Contact Maison Law After a Sexual Abuse at Cedar-Sinai Medical Center
At Maison Law, we’re here to support survivors of sexual abuse or assault in California, including those at hospitals like Cedar-Sinai. No one should have to experience the pain of sexual abuse, assault, or any other incident. If it has happened to you or someone you know, we’re committed to holding those responsible accountable. Contact us today for free, private consultation to better understand your legal options and how we can help you.
