In recent shocking litigation, there have been dozens of violated women banding together to file a class-action suit against California hospitals recording their videos without their knowledge or consent. The current suit still pending from 2016, includes over 1,500 women who were filmed while getting surgery, getting physicals and even changing. The victims were videotaped changing and in delivery rooms without their consent. Whether it is a hospital or a private doctor’s office, this cannot be done without every patient’s consent.
Our senior partner, Sherri L. Plotkin, has been following this litigation and is always available to discuss what potential rights of New York women would have if they were illegally videotaped, as well as cases involving sexual abuse and harassment.
Women have rights to bring criminal and civil actions. In the California case, a hospital installed cameras in operating rooms. The Sharp Health Care Medical Group is facing litigation due to its non-consented videotaping and the fact that the videos can no longer be found. With countless women, the videos of their surgeries and other activities were saved to an undisclosed computer and then disposed of. Nonetheless, there is no record of when or how they were deleted and if the proper measures were taken. We can discuss with you the rights you have in discovering what video evidence may have been taken of you without your consent.
Originally the video cameras were supposed to be in the operating room due to cases of missing sedatives, but the lack of knowledge and respect brought to patients is what brings upon this litigation today. Not only did all of the patients (plaintiffs) feel disrespected and violated, it is a violation of their trust and a loss of their business and confidence in this particular hospital.
When non-consensual acts are being made in the medical field, there come to be circumstantial end results. For instance, doctors’ licenses may be revoked, hospitals can lose in litigation and have to shut down. Each of these complaints and allegations comes with different outcomes of a case.
However, the facts remain, hundreds of women have filed a class-action lawsuit against hospitals and health centers in California due to the non-consensual videotaping of their surgeries, or themselves in discreet times. Other than that, the destruction of the videos is still unknown, how they were deleted, and if they even were.
Our firm has had similar litigation in New York and Sherri Plotkin, Esq., can confidentially discuss with you what rights you have. If you or someone you know believe you may have a case, contact her at Rheingold Giuffra Ruffo Plotkin & Hellman LLP; (212) 684-1880.
