Orange County Doctor Arrested for Groping 2 Female Patients

Incidents of sexual assault cause devastating harm in the form of emotional trauma and/or physical injuries. You have the right to demand compensation for the harm you suffered, but who can you sue if you were abused in a sexual manner by Dr. John Carl Hoefs?

While suing the doctor seems like the most logical answer, you also have to think about the medical facility that Hoefs worked for. This is a clinic in Irvine that’s operated by the healthcare delivery network, Hoag. This company offers various health care services for cancer, women’s health, orthopedics, among other areas. They own 7 healthcare centers, 4 urgent care facilities, and 2 acute-care hospitals in cities like Irvine, Newport Beach, and Costa Mesa.

If you recall, the victims whose stories led to Hoefs’ arrest have cases going back as far as 2016. Chances are, there were victims even before then, considering that Hoefs is currently 79 years old. As of now, we are unsure as to how long he worked for a Hoag-affiliated hospital, but we have to question why these incidents occurred over and over again.

When we investigate allegations of sexual abuse by a doctor, nurse, therapist, etc., it’s very rare that the employer had no idea what was going on. We almost always find that there is a history of accusations for sexual misconduct against the same person, yet this individual is allowed to keep their job year after year. In some cases, hospital administrators hide or destroy evidence pertaining to a sexual abuse case, or try to talk the victim into a miniscule payment in order to keep them from going to the police.

These and other examples of negligent conduct cannot go unpunished, considering the potential for one doctor to ruin countless lives throughout their career. We are ready to go after Hoag or any other party that failed in their duty of care to you if you were sexually assaulted during a medical examination. Contact the offices of DTLA Law Group and schedule a free case evaluation.

Understandably, the amount of compensation from a lawsuit for sexual assault is a primary concern for many victims, and many of them approach the issue by asking us for an average value for these cases. The best answer we can provide is that settlement values are almost always 6 to 7 figures, though the exact number is impossible to determine without a detailed understanding of your experience.

Another generalization we can make is that case values are highest for multiple incidents of sexual assault, which happened to one of the women who came forward with accusations against Dr. John Carl Hoefs. This type of case may be settled for anywhere between $1,500,000 to $5,000,000, though a lower amount doesn’t meant that the victim was cheated out of what she is entitled to. Each case is different with its own set of factors and issues that play a role in the amount of damages. For a free consultation to discuss the potential value of your lawsuit against Hoag or any other healthcare organization, please give us a call.

Claims for sexual assault and harassment can take quite some time to resolve – typically, 1 to 2 years, though some cases will take more than 3 years due to the need for a trial. However, around 95% of all sexual abuse lawsuits are settled out of court, as healthcare providers like Hoag are reluctant to draw even more attention to themselves by taking a case to trial. In fact, this need to avoid media scrutiny may work out in your favor and result in a settlement in 6 months or less. However, we generally find that claims for sexual misconduct by a doctor, especially sexual assault, take around 12 to 24 months to settle.

As an adult that was sexually abused by your doctor, you have 10 years to sue the liable entities through the civil court system. This may seem like a lot of time, but it’s common for those who are sexually abused to stay quiet about their experience for a long time. It can be months or years before they mention it to someone, and even longer for them to file charges or talk to a lawyer who can sue for sexual abuse at a medical office.

Please note that filing a lawsuit is up to you, and there are no right or wrong answers on how to move forward from the trauma of sexual assault during a medical examination. However, we want to inform you of your rights, so that you can make an informed decision on filing a claim for sexual abuse. Please contact our law firm and schedule a free, private consultation with a sexual abuse lawyer.

It’s unthinkable that a doctor should abuse the trust we place in their hands to commit acts of sexual assault. However, these cases are exceedingly common, and for many victims it can take years to talk about what happened and demand justice for what they endured. While we can’t take away your pain and trauma, we can bring you justice under the law, which includes monetary damages for your physical and mental injuries. With decades of experience in sexual abuse cases involving minors and adults, you can depend on us to fight for the settlement you deserve.

We work on contingency and provide all clients with a Zero Fee Guarantee, so your finances will not be affected if you hire us to represent you in a hospital sexual abuse lawsuit. The party you are suing is responsible for the cost of legal fees as long we win your lawsuit. This is our only form of payment, so you will not receive any bills from us if we fail to win your case.

For a free consultation to learn about your rights and legal options, contact us today.