Irvine Hospital Child Sexual Abuse Lawyer

When a child suffers from sexual abuse in an emergency room or health care facility, the trauma and injuries can be devastating. Patients expect to receive medical treatment in an environment that prioritizes safety, care, healing, and the overall well-being of patients, especially those who are most vulnerable.

If your child has suffered abuse in a medical setting, our healthcare child sexual abuse attorneys could help. Call a knowledgeable Irvine hospital child sexual abuse lawyer to schedule an appointment and begin pursuing the justice you and your family deserve.

What Are Examples of Sexual Abuse?

Sexual abuse in hospitals and medical care facilities may involve doctors, nurses, and other staff members. The abusive behavior can take various forms, including the following:

• Inappropriately fondling or touching patients during examinations and procedures
• Committing rape or sexual assault, including vaginal, oral, or anal penetration
• Forcing the minor patient to expose themselves when unnecessary for the examination or treatment
• Making suggestive remarks, jokes, or comments that sexualize the child
• Exploiting young patients while in a vulnerable state, such as when sedated, unconscious, under anesthesia, or unable to comprehend, verbally reject, or resist
• Grooming the patient, where the health care provider slowly creates trust, makes the child feel special, and escalates inappropriate sexual behavior

We understand that claims of sexual child abuse in Irvine hospitals are emotionally charged. Our compassionate attorneys offer patients and their families support and guidance throughout the legal process.

Potential Abusers

The potential abusers in hospitals and health care facilities can be anyone in a position of trust, including pediatricians, surgeons, psychiatrists, lab technicians, therapists, nurses, other support staff, orderlies, or even volunteers who have access to minor patients.

Vulnerability of Minors

When a medical provider or other staff member commits a sex offense against a child in a hospital, it is a particularly heinous crime. A child’s vulnerability can increase in medical settings, such as during intimate procedures and medical examinations.

The National Library of Medicine guidelines state that the exploitation of power and trust to cause harm is a gross violation of moral, ethical, and health care standards. This type of abuse can leave patients with pain from physical injuries, trauma, and emotional distress, leading to post-traumatic stress and anxiety disorders requiring extensive therapy.

Institutional Accountability and Systemic Failures

Policies and procedures to prevent patient abuse are crucial for all healthcare providers, including clear protocols, professional boundaries, and mandated reporting. A health care facility’s role in allowing systematic failures is often a significant factor in sex crimes against children.

This could be due to negligent hiring practices, such as failing to conduct adequate criminal history and background checks or to screen employment history for misconduct. Additionally, a lack of staff oversight or supervision, such as failure to monitor medical providers to ensure the protection of young and vulnerable patients, could constitute negligence.

Inappropriate Handling of Reports or Suspected Abuse

Failing to act promptly and appropriately after receiving complaints or suspicions from patients is also a grossly negligent act, causing substantial harm to victims. Hospitals and medical facilities must respond to and follow up on every report, adhering to an established procedure for each case. Deliberately hiding or concealing information is unethical and, in some cases, criminal.

An attorney knowledgeable about sex crimes against children in Irvine hospitals could investigate your case to determine the cause and the responsible party.

Speak to an Experienced Hospital Child Sexual Abuse Attorney in Irvine

Medical providers must treat every patient with a professional standard of care and protect their safety at all times. They must also adequately train all medical and support staff to recognize and report abuse and take proactive steps to protect patients, particularly minors.

When medical facilities fail and patients suffer the consequences, the Cifarelli Law Firm strives to hold them accountable. Contact our office to speak with a compassionate Irvine hospital child sexual abuse lawyer to learn more.