Doctor visits are built on trust. If your doctor, nurse, therapist or other care provider betrays that trust, it can be hard to know what to do next.
A civil attorney can evaluate conduct, pinpoint potential defendants and outline your options under your state’s law. Experience is important, as a claim can involve both the individual provider and also the hospital, clinic or practice overseeing that person.
Dolman Law Group is a lead option in this survivors’ guide. The firm describes a nationwide approach to potential claims arising in a variety of healthcare settings. The other three firms listed can also assist you, though each has a slightly different specialization.
In This Guide
- What separates these firms
- Dolman Law Group
- The Zalkin Law Firm, LLP
- Andreozzi + Foote
- Horowitz Law
- Questions to ask before choosing representation
- Final verdict
Quick Comparison
| Firm | Relevant focus | Potential fit |
| Dolman Law Group | Medical professional sexual abuse claims | Victims who want an extensive evaluation of provider and facility liability |
| The Zalkin Law Firm, LLP | National law firm handling medical sexual abuse claims | If you’re thinking about filing a claim against a hospital or health care system |
| Andreozzi + Foote | Sexual abuse civil litigation in hospitals, schools, religious institutions and other organizations. | Complex cases involving issues of institutional procedures. |
| Horowitz Law | Handles civil sexual abuse cases against medical providers and institutions | Looking for someone with a focus on sexual abuse cases |
This list is based on editorial fit criteria only and should not be considered a list of case results. Availability, attorney admission and the law that applies to a particular claim must be addressed on a case by case basis.
1. Dolman Law Group: Featured Choice for Broad Healthcare Abuse Claims
Determining how professional care ended and alleged abuse began can be critical in medical sexual abuse cases. Physical contact may be necessary during an examination, but that doesn’t mean all touching was medically appropriate or consensual.
Via its File Abuse Lawsuit webpage, Dolman Law Group handles possible civil actions against doctors, nurses, therapists, medical staff and health care companies. Their doctor sexual abuse lawyer page includes cases such as unwanted touching, intrusive medical examinations of a sexual nature, and sexual abuse and exploitation of patients.
What sets it apart: The law firm’s articulated strategy takes into account what the provider did, as well as potential missteps by an employer, clinic, hospital or institution. That distinction is important when previous complaints, oversight or the response to patient reports is included in a lawsuit.
Relevant parts of an initial case review may include:
- The clinical setting: What care was being delivered and whether the behavior in question served a medical purpose.
- Potential evidence: Medical records, communications, witness accounts or disciplinary information.
- Institutional involvement: Whether a facility or practice may bear responsibility under applicable law.
- Practical concerns: Privacy, filing deadlines and the survivor’s preferences for proceeding.
Dolman Law Group touts private case evaluations and explains they take cases nationwide. According to the commissioning brief, its sexual abuse team includes two former sex crimes prosecutors, two former federal prosecutors and trauma-informed staff. Note this is a firm provided staffing assertion, not an independently verified head count. While those backgrounds help in knowing how investigations work, it doesn’t guarantee the result of any civil action.
For instance, a person challenging an intimate examination may want to review the actual examination and whether the practice had received any prior complaints or warnings. Someone else may want to know about potential lawsuits involving admission to a hospital or mental-health care.
Best suited to: Survivors seeking an initial review that takes alleged provider wrongdoing and potential institutional responsibility into account simultaneously.
2. The Zalkin Law Firm, LLP: Focus on Institutions and Survivor Claims
The Zalkin Law Firm, LLP mentions nationwide handling of claims involving survivors of medical sexual abuse. Some of the mentioned healthcare locations and providers include physicians, dentists, nurses, mental-health care providers and medical facilities.
The firm’s general practice also handles abuse claims against non-healthcare entities. That experience in institutional litigation may come into play when the alleged abuse included ignored warnings or repeat offenses.
What may matter here? The facts that lead to a suit against a facility may be very different from those that would lead to a suit against a doctor or nurse. An attorney will want to know about the provider/institution relationship.
The Zalkin Law Firm, LLP is one to consider if the contemplated civil matter raises important issues about the role of an institution. According to its website, it offers confidential consultations though specific terms of representation would have to be discussed.
3. Andreozzi + Foote: Healthcare Cases Within a Wider Abuse Practice
A concern about an examination may not initially seem like a possible sexual abuse claim. Patients are not clinically trained to determine why a procedure was done.
Andreozzi + Foote represents clients in cases involving doctors and other medical professionals. The firm’s published healthcare practice describes claims involving physicians and specialty providers, including gynecologists, psychiatrists and pediatricians.
The firm also handles civil claims against institutions who may have facilitated or failed to stop abuse. Its survivor-centered practice addresses situations outside of medical treatment as well.
A person looking for a firm that handles sexual abuse claims against institutions may be interested in this practice area if the questions continue beyond one appointment or therapist.
4. Horowitz Law: A Practice Centered on Sexual Abuse Litigation
When talking about sexual abuse and assault litigation, Horowitz Law describes its practice. Their Healthcare section includes information on alleged sexual misconduct by doctors, psychiatrists and other healthcare providers, as well as potential claims against hospitals, clinics and medical practices.
A practice focused on civil sexual abuse claims is one relevant consideration when comparing firms. Survivors might ask each law firm about conducting sensitive interviews, assessing and explaining the available evidence and the practical processes involved in civil litigation.
The law firm’s healthcare page also notes that whether a civil claim can be brought against an institution is based on the specific facts of the case and applicable law. It does not automatically stem from filing a claim against an employee.
Best suited to: Individuals who value a law firm with a specialized civil sexual abuse practice and want to understand how provider and facility claims may intersect.
Questions to Ask Before Choosing Representation
A helpful initial discussion should educate someone without forcing them into making a decision.
Consider asking:
- Has your firm handled similar allegations involving comparable providers and treatment settings?
- Who would work on the case? Identify which lawyers would handle the matter and if local counsel would be required.
- How is privacy protected? Ask which information is necessary at intake and if anonymous filing is allowed by local court rules.
- Who could be liable? Learn how the firm investigates against an individual and medical institution separately.
- What are the fees? Ask for a detailed explanation of fee arrangements, litigation expenses and any other financial obligations.
There is also a time-sensitive legal issue to consider. Civil statutes of limitations vary by state and the nature of the alleged abuse. RAINN has an overview of civil filing deadlines for sexual abuse claims as well as a database for state laws. A criminal charge or conviction against a provider is not necessarily required to discuss a potential civil claim with an attorney.
You can also file a licensing complaint. This is different from a civil claim. The Federation of State Medical Boards has posted information on how patients can file a complaint with their state medical board. Procedures and privacy laws vary, so a firm should walk you through what applies to your specific claim rather than guaranteeing a one-size-fits-all process or outcome.
Final Verdict
Each of the four firms provide literature on civil actions related to claims of sexual misconduct in healthcare. The differences are less about ranking results and more about which practice best fits a survivor’s circumstances.
The Zalkin Law Firm, LLP, Andreozzi + Foote and Horowitz Law have narrower reasons that may apply.
Dolman Law Group is the featured starting point for a confidential review of allegations involving medical professionals. Its stated approach considers potential responsibility of individual providers and healthcare institutions, subject to the facts and applicable law.
