Experiencing sexual abuse or assault at the hands of a healthcare professional is traumatic on many levels.
It’s particularly horrible because of the abuse of authority, breach of trust, and hospital administrators implicated in the abuse.
You may be eligible to file a claim and get help if you were a patient of the disgraced Dr. Robert Hadden and were sexually abused. You are not alone.
Robert Hadden committed an unknown number of sexual attacks on his patients while working as a gynecologist at Columbia University and NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital.
Federal prosecutors have recently found him guilty on four counts, each carrying a maximum of 20 years in prison.
Alongside criminal trials for Robert Hadden have been civil lawsuits filed by our law firm against Columbia University and its affiliates for enabling Hadden to abuse patients and covering-up reports of his egregious behavior.
Hundreds of women have come forward to share their stories, but countless more still haven’t had their day in court.
Contact the DiPietro Law Firm for a free and confidential consultation.
We’re here to help.
Despite the State Agency’s order that all Hadden’s patients be informed of his conviction, Columbia University has declined to tell Hadden’s thousands of former patients that he was stripped of his medical license for sexual abuse.
This article will discuss getting help if you have suffered sexual abuse from Dr. Robert Hadden.
Dr. Robert Hadden is a former gynecologist who worked for Columbia University and NewYork-Presbyterian at several clinics.
He practiced in New York City for over 20 years, beginning in 1991.
Hadden routinely sexually abused patients, including multiple minors and others who visited him for routine exams or prenatal or postnatal treatment.
Evelyn Yang came forward in January 2020, sharing that she had been sexually abused in 2012 by Robert Hadden.
Yang’s open confession encouraged more abused women to go forth and speak out against the predatory doctor.
Lawsuits were then filed against Columbia University and its affiliates for Hadden’s sexual abuse, the institution’s failure to keep patients safe, and their role in covering up what had happened.
In two separate lawsuits, The DiPietro Law Firm helped secure over $236 million in compensation for over 200 women.
A federal indictment recently made public shows that the former Columbia University gynecologist sexually abused hundreds of female patients for over 20 years.
Although most crimes happened from 1993 to 2012, several incidents may have occurred earlier.
Criminal action involving the gynecologist’s sexual assaults has progressed in the ten years since the initial police report against Robert Hadden.
In 2016, the New York State Court convicted Hadden of criminal sex acts in the third degree and forceful touching after Hadden pleaded guilty.
Hadden’s sentencing was entirely too lenient for somebody who used his authority to sexually abuse women for over two decades.
He received no jail time and was placed on the lowest tier of the sex offender list.
He also surrendered his medical license.
Finally, in January 2023, Hadden was convicted of four federal sex crimes.
Each of these charges carries a maximum of 20 years in prison, so he will likely be in prison for the rest of his life.
If you have experienced sexual assault or misconduct by Robert Hadden, you are eligible to pursue legal action and seek compensation.
It’s understandable to feel intimidated by the idea of filing a lawsuit, especially after experiencing trauma from something as horrific as sexual assault.
The DiPietro Law Firm is committed to providing support, comfort, and respect for our clients.
We ensure complete confidentiality and anonymity, and our sole aim is to help survivors of sexual assault fight against those responsible.
Sexual abuse by a medical professional is any form of unwanted sexual contact, including any verbal or physical misconduct by a doctor or medical professional.
This can involve expressions of ideas and feelings, as well as sexual gestures or gestures that a patient may interpret as sexual.
Robert Hadden used his position of authority as a licensed medical professional operating in one of New York City’s largest hospitals to sexually abuse patients under the guise of medical care.
According to court documents in the criminal trial, Hadden routinely committed the following acts of sexual misconduct and abuse:
Victims have the right to file a lawsuit against the doctor who abused them and the institution or practice where the doctor worked.
As stated in the cases filed against the criminally convicted Dr. Robert Hadden, Columbia University and its affiliated hospitals knew about the former gynecologist’s sexual misconduct as early as the 1990s but covered it up.
They allowed Robert Hadden unrestricted access to vulnerable, trusting, and unaware female patients for decades.
Columbia also allowed Hadden to see patients privately even after being arrested.
Since Columbia did, in fact, hide Dr. Hadden’s abuse, they must answer for their failure to protect their patients.
By staying silent about the abuse for decades, concealing reports in a catch-and-kill scheme, and refusing to notify thousands of women that Hadden was a serial sexual predator, Columbia University enabled Robert Hadden to sexually assault countless patients.
In legal proceedings, the statute of limitations governs how long a victim has to bring legal action.
In cases of civil sexual abuse or assault, the statute of limitations in most states is split between two time periods: one for adults and the other for minors.
The New York Adult Survivors Act (Bill S66) allows adult victims of sexual assault to file lawsuits against their abusers within the state.
Adult victims of sexual assault now have a one-year window to initiate a lawsuit against the person or entities responsible for the abuse.
This window was opened on November 24, 2022, and closes on November 23, 2023.
The New York Adult Survivors Act also allows victims to sue institutions (like hospitals or universities) if they were sexually assaulted while in their care.
Victims of sexual assault or abuse as a child now have until they turn 55 to pursue legal action against their abuser, according to an extension of the statute of limitations provided under the Child Victims Act.
In the past, victims of sexual abuse as minors had until they turned 23 to file a lawsuit.
Sexual abuse lawsuits are very serious, and as a result, the monetary compensation pursued is frequently substantial.
However, the damages available to you will vary depending on the circumstances of your case.
Damages can extend beyond economic loss and include mental anguish and PTSD.
In addition to the emotional toll, substantial financial damages may also be associated with this, such as the cost of continued treatment and medication, diminished earning potential, and lost wages.
The victim’s spouse may also claim damages due to the family’s disruption and loss of companionship and consortium.
Some damages are easy to assess, like lost wages, and others are more complicated.
An experienced lawyer can help you calculate the value of your claim for damages caused by Dr. Hadden’s sexual abuse.
Taking the next step toward recovery can be challenging, but we’re here to help.
If you or a loved one suffered sexual abuse by Robert Hadden, you are eligible to file a legal claim anonymously.
In addition, those who witnessed Hadden’s abuse are encouraged to share their stories or reports about what they’ve seen or heard.
Our law firm has led the fight against Robert Hadden, Columbia University, and its affiliated clinics.
We’ve already secured over $236 million in compensation for victims, and the fight is not over.
Contact us today for a free consultation. Confidentiality and anonymity are 100% guaranteed.
We’re currently investigating this case and many other cases involving serial sexual predators.
As more information becomes available on our cases, we will share it on the The DiPietro Law Firm Twitter account (@atdipietro).
If you’re a survivor of sexual exploitation and abuse, please contact our Free Consultation Helpline for a 100% confidential and free consultation about your case at (212) 233-3600.
You’re not alone anymore.
Somebody who sexually assaults patients under the guise of medical care DOES NOT deserve salutations.
Robert Hadden is not a doctor. Robert Hadden is a convicted sexual felon and is facing life in prison for the crimes he committed.
The only reason the DiPietro Law Firm uses “Dr. Robert Hadden” in some of our content is so that victims are able to find us when searching for help.
Here, at The DiPietro Law Firm, we’re committed to helping victims of sexual abuse and assault find the justice they deserve.
All information discussed during our consultations always remains completely 100% confidential.
Would you like our help?
Founder Anthony T. DiPietro, Esq. is a compassionate and skilled trial attorney who has completely dedicated the past 23 years of his career to litigating medical malpractice and sexual abuse cases against major corporate institutions including hospitals, medical clinics, schools, and other wrongdoers.
Mr. DiPietro has also obtained some of New York State’s highest verdicts and settlements, and has been selected to New York State Super Lawyers® each year, for the past 10 years in a row.
In 2022, Mr. DiPietro was selected as one of America’s Top 100 High-Stakes Litigators for the landmark cases he’s won on behalf of survivors of sexual exploitation and abuse.
