A jury has awarded over $13 million to three women who claim that they were subjected to multiple forms of molestation by a mental health care worker at Vista del Mar Hospital in Ventura, California.

In the jury’s verdict, they awarded one woman $6.5 million, another $3.75 million, and the third $3 million in damages. The Los Angeles Times notes that the jury then reconvened, and subsequently awarded an additional $50,000 to each molestation victim. 

The three women filed their sexual assault lawsuit against Vista del Mar and its parent company, Signature Healthcare Services. The women claimed that the companies should not have hired Juan V., who they say sexually assaulted them while they were patients at the hospital. They say that Juan was hired even though he had a history of sex crimes. The women further claim that he was not supervised sufficiently during his work.

Vista Del Mar released a statement saying that they would appeal the decision, maintaining at there was no negligence from the hospital in the case of the three women. The hospital expressed that they are “profoundly disappointed and strongly disagree with the jury’s decision.”

Reportedly, Juan was a mental health worker at Aurora Vista del Mar from 2011 to 2013. The women state that his role included a range of duties, including attending doctors’ appointments with patients, checking their vitals, and picking up laundry.

The three women claim that they were patients at the health care facility, and Juan sexually assaulted them through multiple forms of molestation while they were there. Allegedly, he had sex with one patient at his place of employment, raped an incompetent person, and penetrated a person with a foreign object. The women claimed that the hospital should be held liable for these actions.

The three women argue that the hospital should not have hired Juan, given that he had already had a record of sex crimes. Allegedly, he was convicted of statutory rape at the age of 18 when he impregnated his 14-year old girlfriend, says the Los Angeles Times.

Assault in the Healthcare System

Unfortunately, sexual assault at the hands of a medical worker is not unheard of. Take, for example, the Larry Nassar USA Gymnastics scandal that shook the sports world in 2017. 

The Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN) notes that medical professionals should honor the consent of their patients, and should explain an exam to a patient. Patients should be able to ask questions and stop the exam at any time, as well as have their privacy respected. Patients should not be coerced, and medical practitioners should not insist that a patient undress parts of their body that are not being examined.

According to RAINN, sexual abuse by a medial professional violates trust, medical ethics, and the law. Additionally, the organization notes that sexual abuse can occur at the hands of helping professionals as well as medical professionals.

RAINN also says that forms of molestation by a helping professional constitute sexual conduct of any kind between a professional and the person seeking a service. Abuse by medical professionals and by helping professionals can have lasting impacts on the victims, including physical issues, emotional trauma, and other metal health effects.

States have varying degrees of laws relating to sexual abuse by medical professionals. The Atlantic notes that the #MeToo movement has encouraged lawmakers and citizens alike to questions whether those laws are sufficient or not. 

This article is not legal advice. It is presented
for informational purposes only.