Have you been sexually abused or asssaulted while under the care of Doctor Robert Hadden at Columbia University Hospital in New York City? If so, you may be entitled to benefits, medical care and significant financial compensation. A $165 million settlement has been set aside by Columbia University and New York Presbyterian. It will be distributed to the women who alleged sexual abuse by former gynecologist Robert Hadden. However, Columbia University’s administration has failed to notify thousands of patients about Hadden’s history of abuse.
Two women filed lawsuits against Dr. Hadden in Manhattan Supreme Court in June 2013. They alleged that the former New York-Presbyterian Columbia Hospital gynecologist sexually assaulted them during their medical examinations.
In the decade since the first police report against Hadden, the cases around the gynecologist’s sexual assault have witnessed substantial development. The New York State Court convicted Hadden in 2016, and he pled guilty to a third-degree criminal sex act and forcible touching. He now awaits a federal court trial on eight criminal charges of bringing six women, including a minor, across state lines with the intent of sexual abuse.
A recently unsealed federal indictment claims that Hadden sexually assaulted countless female patients over more than 20 years. These assaults are estimated to have occurred between 1993 and 2012, but some unknown attacks may have happened before 1993.
The Columbia University Irving Medical Center and New York-Presbyterian recently reached a $165 million agreement with 147 of Hadden’s previous patients. The current resolution follows a similar settlement outcome seen in 2021 for $71.5 million and distributed among 79 of the former gynecologist’s past patients.
The New York Adult Survivors Act offers a one-year window for survivors of sexual violence to prosecute their perpetrators and employers. Victims of sexual abuse have only a limited amount of time to file legal action against their abuser before the statute of limitations runs out. The Adult Survivors Act grants survivors a one-year window to file legal claims, regardless of an expired statute of limitations.
Advocates of the Adult Survivors Act say that victims need time to process their sexual assault, fear, and trauma. Many victims fail to report sexual violence or even sexual harassment for fear of retaliation or social repercussions. Some may not even realize the incident qualifies as sexual assault until years after. Schedule Appointment
The window opens six months after the Adult Survivors Act’s effective date and stays open for one year. This gives survivors time to process the opportunity and take action to file their legal claims. The window opened on Nov. 24, 2022, and closes on Nov. 24, 2023.
Additionally, in 2019 the New York Legislature extended the statute of limitations for lawsuits pertaining to sex crimes. While that law was not issued retroactively, the Adult Survivors Act’s one-year window allows previous survivors to claim justice against their abusers.
If Hadden sexually assaulted you, but the statute of limitations previously kept you from pressing charges, the Adult Survivors Act offers an opportunity. Over the next year, you can join the women who have spoken out against Hadden’s gross sexual misconduct and sexual assault against his former female patients.
If you are a former gynecological patient of Hadden, and he exhibited sexual misconduct during your examinations, you may be eligible to receive significant damages. Our team of professional sexual assault attorneys is well-versed in claims against hospitals and healthcare providers, including claims against Dr. Hadden. We can help you with your legal claim.