A urologist at the New York Presbyterian Weill Cornell Medical Center identified as Dr. Darius Paduch is facing a lawsuit for allegedly sexually abusing a 16-year-old high school intern. The allegations have been made public after a lawsuit was filed in the Manhattan Supreme Court. According to court documents. “As an adult, [the plaintiff] was a victim of one or more criminal sex acts in the State of New York at the hands of defendant New York – Presbyterian Hospital’s doctor, defendant Dr. Darius Paduch, including sex acts that would constitute a sexual offense that revives Plaintiff’s claims against Defendants under the Adult Survivors Act, such as NY Penal Laws 130.52 and 130.60. Those revived claims, as well as others, form the basis for this lawsuit.”
The plaintiff was both an intern and a patient when the alleged abuse took place between September 2015 through July 2017. Lawyers for the plaintiff claim that Dr. Darius Paduch sexually abused the student intern under the pretext of tutelage. The lawsuit claims that the defendant made the teen watch him masturbate a patient. There is also an allegation that he would demand the student text him videos of himself masturbating. The hospital is accused of failing in its duty to protect children by ignoring warning signs that Dr. Paduch was a danger to them. Any person that may have been harmed by the actions of Dr. Paduch may have legal recourse through a civil claim. Our team of New York sexual abuse attorneys at Gersowitz Libo & Korek, P.C. are here to help in any way that we can. We can evaluate the unique facts of your case and let you know what your legal options are. You can reach out to us anytime at (516) 908-9792.
Statistics About Sexual Abuse By Physicians
Sexual abuse by doctors is far 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.” The vast majority of abuse goes unreported. Sexual abuse by medical professionals tends to come in many different forms.
- Inappropriate touching
- Sodomy
- Rape
- Child molestation
- Purportedly consensual sex
People tend to trust doctors, especially in compromising situations. Much of the sexual abuse that occurs is under the guise of medical treatment. This could include asking patients to undress when it is not necessary. According to one Atlanta Journal-Constitution investigation, of the 2,400 doctors under investigation for sexual abuse nearly half were still licensed to practice medicine. It can often be years or decades before doctors are prosecuted for abusing patients.
Liability For Sexual Abuse By New York Doctors
Hospitals in New York have a legal duty to take reasonable steps to protect patients from foreseeable sources of harm when those patients are in their care. A hospital breaches this duty of care when it fails to exercise reasonable care to prevent physicians from sexually abusing patients. For example, a hospital may fail to investigate concerns and complaints levied against one of its doctors or employees. They may also fail to properly supervise a doctor who then goes on to abuse patients. It is also common for hospitals to fail to recognize signs that a doctor was using his or her position to sexually abuse patients. 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 for victimization and predation.
- Physicians should be adequately supervised as they perform their duties.
- All suspected instances of sexual misconduct should be thoroughly investigated.
Sexual abuse is often one of the most difficult and stressful things that most people will ever deal with in their life. For instance, in the Dr. Paduch case the plaintiff pleaded numerous physical and psychological injuries including “severe emotional and psychological distress, humiliation, fright, dissociation, anger, depression, anxiety, family turmoil and loss of faith, a severe shock to his or her nervous system, physical pain and mental anguish, and emotional and psychological damage.” It is important that all injuries sustained after any form of abuse are well documented.
Why You Should Hire An Attorney After Any Instance Of Sexual Abuse
Hospitals are supposed to do everything in their power to care for patients. But in far too many situations, these hospitals are turning a blind eye. After the plaintiff in the Dr. Paduch lawsuit came forward and informed New York Presbyterian Weill Cornell Medical Center that he reported the abuse to police, the hospital reportedly didn’t even respond to that notification. There are a number of key advantages to having an attorney if you’ve been sexually abused by a physician.
- A New York sexual abuse attorney can investigate all of the unique facts of your case and subpoena records if needed.
- A New York sexual abuse attorney can advance all of the costs associated with pursuing your case.
- New York sexual abuse attorneys work entirely on a contingency fee basis. This means that they only get paid if they are able to successfully resolve your claim.
- A New York sexual abuse attorney can fight on your behalf to help you get a fair outcome.
There are a number of steps that you should consider taking if you’ve been the victim of sexual abuse by a New York physician. First, a police report of the incident should be made. Eyewitnesses should be interviewed. Medical records should be preserved. An experienced sexual abuse attorney should be contacted. Hiring an experienced attorney can often mean the difference between winning or losing any sexual abuse claim.
Investigating Sexual Abuse Claims Involving Dr. Darius Paduch
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. Doctors hold a respected place in our society. We often trust them with our very lives. This is why abuses of power by doctors are so egregious. There needs to be a thorough investigation into what happened. It is our sincere hope that the New York Presbyterian Weill Cornell Medical Center will consider additional measures to prevent sexual abuse by their doctors.
Have you or someone that you care about been sexually abused by Dr. Darius Paduch? There are a number of laws designed to protect your rights. Our team of highly experienced sexual abuse attorneys is 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.
