Manhattan Supreme Court Lawsuit Alleges Dr. Darius Paduch Sexually Abused 16-Year-Old Intern At NewYork Presbyterian Weill Cornell Medical Center
MANHATTAN, NEW YORK (May 26, 2023) – A urologist identified as Dr. Darius Paduch is facing a lawsuit for allegedly sexually abusing a 16-year-old high school intern.
The lawsuit was unveiled in the Manhattan Supreme Court on Monday. Dr. Darius Paduch practiced medicine at the NewYork Presbyterian Weill Cornell Medical Center.
The lawsuit was brought by a student that claims he was sexually abused by him from September 2015 through July 2017. According to court documents, “Defendant Dr. Darius Paduch used the internship, and his position of authority, to sexually abuse Plaintiff under the guise of tutelage.”
The defendant allegedly played pornography to the student and allegedly had the teen watch him masturbate a patient. This was done under the guise of teaching the student.
Court documents also allege that the Dr. demanded that the student send him videos of himself masturbating. The plaintiff claims to have suffered physical and emotional injuries including anxiety, depression and family turmoil.
Liability For Sexual Abuse By Medical Professionals
Sexual abuse by medical professionals is much more common than many people may realize. According to the National Institutes of Health, “A 1998 study identified 567 U.S. physicians who were disciplined by state medical boards from 1981 through 1996 for sex-related offenses (including sexual intercourse, rape, sexual molestation, and sexual favors for drugs), 75% of which involved patients.” Most cases of abuse go unreported. There are a number of steps that hospitals can take in order to prevent sexual abuse at the hands of healthcare professionals.
- Hospitals can enhance their ability to identify risk factors to victimization and predation.
- Physicians should be adequately supervised as they perform their duties.
- All suspected instances of sexual misconduct should be thoroughly investigated.
Hospitals have a legal obligation to protect their patients, employees and interns. Depending on the facts of any case, a hospital could face civil liability if a child in their care is sexually abused by a physician. For example, a claim of negligent hiring may arise if a hospital puts an employee in a position where a foreseeable injury is likely to occur. Sexual abuse becomes more foreseeable when a hospital knew or should have known that an employee had a propensity for the actions that caused harm. There are a number of steps that should be taken after any instance of sexual abuse by medical professionals.
- A police report should be made.
- Eye witnesses should be interviewed.
- Medical records should be preserved.
- An experienced sexual abuse attorney should be contacted.
Sexual abuse is one of the most traumatic and harmful things that most people will ever go through. It is particularly harmful to children who are robbed of their innocence. Victims of sexual abuse often suffer from long-term anxiety and depression. They are also much more prone to suicidal ideations. Any person that is sexually abused by a doctor or hospital employee may be able to seek some measure of justice through a civil claim. A sexual abuse attorney can examine all of the unique facts of your case and let you know what your legal rights are.
Investigating New York Physician Sexual Abuse Incidents
We at Gersowitz Libo & Korek, P.C. extend our best wishes to all of the people who may have been harmed by Dr. Darius Paduch. There needs to be a thorough investigation into what happened. It should also be determined if their are potentially other victims. Doctors have a unique status of authority in our society which is why violations of that trust are particularly egregious.
Have you or someone that you care about been sexually abused by a New York physician? There are a number of laws designed to protect your rights. Our team of highly experienced sexual abuse attorneys are here to help in any way that we can. We care deeply that abuse victims are aware of their rights and that those rights are being protected. Whether you just have legal questions or need any type of support we are here for you. You can reach out to us anytime at (516) 908-9792.
