ANDREOZZI + FOOTE
PHILADELPHIA HEALTH CARE SEXUAL ABUSE LAWYER
Reviewed by:
Benjamin D. Andreozzi, Esq.
- Last Updated: May 8, 2025
On This Page
- What Is Health Care Sexual Abuse?
- Choose Andreozzi + Foote As Your Philadelphia Health Care Sexual Abuse Lawyers
- Your Legal Options After Experiencing Health Care Sexual Abuse In Philadelphia
- Statute of Limitations for Health Care Sexual Abuse Cases in Philadelphia, PA
- How A Philadelphia Health Care Sexual Abuse Attorney Can Help
- Steps To Take After An Incident of Sexual Abuse In A Health Care Setting
- Contact Our Experienced Philadelphia Health Care Sexual Abuse Lawyers Today
When seeking medical care, patients put great trust in their health care provider to help them. Unfortunately, some doctors, nurses, and other health care staff take advantage of this trust and use it to sexually abuse their patients, traumatizing them and breaking their trust.
If you or a loved one has experienced health care sexual abuse in Philadelphia, you have legal rights and options for pursuing justice and compensation. You might be eligible to not only hold the perpetrator accountable, but also take action against any institution that allowed the abuse to occur. An experienced Philadelphia sexual abuse attorney can help you navigate the complex legal process and pursue the justice you deserve.
What Is Health Care Sexual Abuse?
Sexual abuse by medical professionals is a violation of patients’ trust, medical ethics, and the law. Health care sexual abuse can involve inappropriate touching, inappropriate comments or advances, or other non-consensual sexual conduct. While some procedures and exams can be intrusive and embarrassing, especially those involving patients’ private areas, they should only be performed when medically necessary.
Health care sexual abuse often occurs in settings where patients are at their most vulnerable, such as hospitals, clinics, and therapy sessions. Any health care professional can perpetrate abuse, including doctors, nurses, counselors, and more.
Common Examples of Health Care Sexual Abuse
Sexual abuse in health care settings is a grave violation of trust that can take many forms, including the following:
- Inappropriate Touching: This includes touching a patient in a sexual manner, or a way unrelated to a medical procedure or care. Inappropriate physical contact includes touching a patient’s private areas or engaging in any form of physical contact that goes beyond the medical context of the situation.
- Inappropriate Comments or Advances: Verbal abuse can take the form of inappropriate comments or sexual advances made by health care providers. These comments may be suggestive, objectifying, or sexually explicit in nature and are used to manipulate or control the patient.
- Engaging In Sexual Contact Without Consent: One of the most severe forms of health care sexual abuse, non-consensual sexual contact can include sexual assault, molestation, rape, and more.
- Photographing or Filming Patients In A Sexual Manner: Health care providers may take explicit photographs or videos of patients without their consent, which is also a form of sexual abuse.
Choose Andreozzi + Foote As Your Philadelphia Health Care Sexual Abuse Lawyers
As one of the nation’s leading law firms representing survivors of sexual abuse, Andreozzi + Foote takes a compassionate approach to health care sexual abuse cases, creating life-changing results for victims and their families. Our trauma-informed attorneys work diligently to prioritize the needs and well-being of survivors, treating them with respect and dignity throughout the legal process.
From our Philadelphia headquarters, Andreozzi + Foote has successfully represented some of the highest-profile child sexual abuse cases of the modern era. We have recovered hundreds of millions of dollars in settlements and verdicts for survivors of child sexual abuse, including a $153 million verdict and an $88 million verdict. This track record of success demonstrates our commitment to securing justice for survivors.
Andreozzi + Foote offers free, confidential consultations for survivors of sexual abuse by health care professionals, and we operate on a contingency fee basis, so you won’t pay us anything unless we win your case.
“Ben and Nate took their time handling my case with compassion and care. I never had to wonder what was going on. They always made sure to include me in each and every decision that needed to be made before it was made. Their entire staff was always very polite and knowledgeable. I cannot say enough kind words about Andreozzi + Foote; they are simply the best.”
- V.B.
Your Legal Options After Experiencing Health Care Sexual Abuse In Philadelphia
Victims of sexual abuse in health care settings often have several legal avenues for pursuing justice and compensation, including civil lawsuits and criminal cases. Civil lawsuits allow survivors to pursue financial compensation from the perpetrator of their abuse and any organization or institution that enabled it, such as a hospital. This compensation can help cover victims’ medical expenses, lost wages, emotional distress, pain, suffering, and more.
Meanwhile, prosecutors can file criminal charges to punish the perpetrators with jail time, fines, or other penalties. This process begins when victims report their experience of abuse to law enforcement.
Statute of Limitations for Health Care Sexual Abuse Cases in Philadelphia, PA
In Pennsylvania, the amount of time you have to file a case depends on a number of factors, including the type of case, the nature of the sexual abuse, and your age. It’s critical to act quickly after experiencing abuse to preserve your legal right to pursue justice.
In Pennsylvania, most adult victims of health care sexual abuse have two years to file suit. However, Pennsylvania enacted a law updating the statutes of limitations for sexual abuse in 2019 for some victims. Under the new law, minor victims of health care sexual abuse now have until their 55th birthday to file a civil lawsuit if the abuse occurred after 2018. Meanwhile, victims between 18 and 24 now have until their 30th birthday to file a civil lawsuit under the 2019 law. The 2019 law is not retroactive, and the previous deadline applies to older cases. Thus, minors harmed by child sexual abuse before 2019 have until their 30th birthday to file suit, and victims between 18 and 24 have just two years.
The deadlines for filing criminal charges vary, depending on the victim’s age and the severity of the offense. If the victim is a minor, there’s no deadline to file criminal charges for major sex crimes like rape, sexual assault. For lesser offenses, prosecutors have until the victim’s 55th birthday to file criminal charges. If the victim was between the ages of 18 and 24 when the assault occurred, prosecutors have until the later of the period of limitation provided by law after the individual has reached 24 years of age or 20 years after the date of the offense. If the victim is an adult, the statute of limitations for criminal cases is 12 years.
How A Philadelphia Health Care Sexual Abuse Attorney Can Help
Hiring a sexual abuse attorney who has experience with cases in health care settings is crucial. Their experience in the field gives you the best chance of successfully holding responsible parties accountable. When seeking an attorney, look for the following:
Expertise and Compassionate Representation
A skilled attorney specializing in health care sexual abuse cases provides not just legal expertise, but also understanding and empathy to survivors. Your attorney will work with you to investigate your claim, gather evidence, and collect expert testimony from medical professionals to build a strong case.
Protecting Your Privacy and Safety
In sexual abuse cases, discretion and sensitivity are of the utmost importance. Many sexual abuse cases can be filed anonymously with the court’s permission, preventing the victims’ names from being publicized. Your lawyer should protect your confidentiality to ensure your safety and privacy throughout the process.
Legal Process For Health Care Abuse Cases
The process for pursuing a civil lawsuit generally involves the following steps:
- Free Consultation: The legal process for health care abuse cases begins with an initial meeting with a lawyer to assess the case and discuss options.
- Investigation: After the consultation, your lawyer will investigate and gather evidence, such as medical records, witness statements, and expert testimony.
- Filing a Lawsuit: After building a strong case, your attorney will file a civil lawsuit.
- Settlement Negotiations: Your lawyer will negotiate for a settlement that fairly compensates you for the full extent of your losses.
- Litigation and Trial: If negotiations fail to produce a fair settlement, your attorney will litigate your case and take it to a jury trial, if necessary.
Steps To Take After An Incident of Sexual Abuse In A Health Care Setting
After experiencing abuse by a health care professional, take the following steps to protect yourself and your legal rights:
- Report the incident: Notify the health care facility and report the abuse to the appropriate authorities, such as the Philadelphia Police Department, the Philadelphia District Attorney, the Pennsylvania State Police, the Pennsylvania Attorney General, and the Pennsylvania Board of Medicine.
- Seek immediate medical attention: Get checked by a different provider at a different facility for physical evidence of abuse.
- Contact an attorney: Consult a sexual abuse lawyer to discuss options and next steps.
- Keep meticulous records: Document all details related to the incident, including the abuser’s identity, date, location, and any conversation that took place before or after the abuse. Additionally, take photos of any physical injuries.
Contact Our Experienced Philadelphia Health Care Sexual Abuse Lawyers Today
At Andreozzi + Foote, our Philadelphia health care sexual abuse attorneys have a proven track record of handling complex, high-stakes cases with compassion and professionalism. Our attorneys have extensive experience advocating for survivors of sexual abuse, and we are dedicated to seeking justice and accountability for victims and their families.
To learn more about your legal rights and options, contact Andreozzi + Foote online or by calling 866-311-8640 for a free, confidential consultation.
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We understand the courage it takes to reach out for help, and we are here to listen. At Andreozzi + Foote, our trauma-informed attorneys are dedicated to providing compassionate, confidential support every step of the way. With extensive experience in advocating for survivors of sexual abuse, we are committed to creating a safe and supportive environment where your voice is heard and your rights are fiercely protected. Contact us today for a free, in-depth consultation and take the first step toward justice.
