More Than 300 Sexual Abuse Victims file lawsuits against Columbia University and Robert Hadden
New complaints bring total number of victims pursuing justice to 538
NEW YORK, Oct. 4, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- More than 300 victims of former Columbia University Medical Center obstetrician/gynecologist Robert Hadden filed lawsuits against the University to obtain justice for the physical and emotional abuse they suffered while under his care. The lawsuits, 301 in total, were filed yesterday, October 2, by attorney Anthony T. DiPietro at The DiPietro Law Firm in New York State Supreme Court.
The complaints come after Columbia University already reached two settlements involving 231 patients, totaling $236 million. DiPietro believes more women will continue to come forward, as they discover they are not alone. It's estimated that Hadden saw upwards of ten thousand patients during his 25-year tenure at Columbia.
"Robert Hadden is a serial predator who used his position at Columbia University Medical Center to sexually exploit and abuse women," said DiPietro. "Hadden was protected by Columbia which, despite being warned by patients, did nothing but cover up Hadden's abuse and lie to the public ? and at times worked to discredit survivors while interfering with Hadden's criminal prosecution. I believe this is one of the biggest corporate cover-ups in New York state history."
According to the federal indictment against him, Hadden sexually abused and assaulted hundreds of patients while employed by Columbia University Medical Center. Hadden was arrested on June 29, 2012, after licking a patient, who immediately called 911, but high-ranking Columbia and New York Presbyterian Hospital officials allowed Hadden to return to work almost immediately. After his return on July 3, 2012, Hadden assaulted at least eight more women at various university medical clinics.
According to an investigation by ProPublica, women "repeatedly tried to warn Columbia doctors and staff about Hadden." Hospital officials were made aware of Hadden's behavior dating back to the mid-1990s. Hadden remained in his position at Columbia until the end of 2012. In July 2023, the 65-year-old Hadden was sentenced to 20 years in prison for sexual abuse.
The DiPietro Law Firm, victims' advocates and faculty are now calling on Columbia's President Minouche Shafik to inform all of Hadden's former patients about his criminal conviction and the loss of his medical license.
"It is time for President Shafik and Columbia to notify all the patients the University exposed to Robert Hadden, so all victims have the opportunity to seek justice before the Adult Survivors Act window closes this November," said DiPietro. "I have heard from hundreds of survivors who are just now learning they aren't alone in the abuse they suffered while under the care of Columbia. Patients should not find out about this from the media. This information should be coming directly from Columbia, which has access to patient information."
Several of Columbia and Robert Hadden's victims worked to pass the Adult Survivors' Act, a unique one-year look-back window that gives adult victims and survivors of sexual exploitation and abuse in New York a path to justice. The ASA offers survivors the opportunity to file a civil claim, regardless of how many years ago the abuse occurred. However, the window is closing on November 23, 2023.
"We believe Columbia is avoiding notifying former patients in an effort to try and run out the clock, and avoid accountability," said DiPietro. "For the past 11 years, my office has been doing everything possible to expose Columbia's cover-up, not let them get away with it, and make sure that this does not happen to anyone ever again."
Case Index #952106/2023
SOURCE The DiPietro Law Firm
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