By: Ellen Cans

Another 28 patients of a disgraced New York City urologist have stepped up with sexually abuse allegations in a new suit filed Monday.

As reported by the NY Post, urologist Darius Paduch, who worked at NewYork-Presbyterian Weill Cornell Medical Center and Northwell Health, now has a tally of at least 70 alleged victims.  The doctor was arrested in April for allegedly sexually abusing underage boys and adult male patients under the guise of medical treatment from 2015 through 2019.

On Monday, a fresh group of 28 additional lawsuits were filed in Manhattan Supreme Court, against the two medical institutions.  Former patients, who claim the doctor sexually assaulted them, say the hospitals should be on the hook, alleging it was their negligence that allowed the incidents to occur.  The hospitals “knew or should have known that Dr. Paduch might use his position as its employee … to sexually abuse its patients,” the suits allege.  The institutions, however, “failed to take reasonable steps to protect” the victims, the filings claims.

Per the Post, the first criminal charges were brought against Paduch in December, in a suit by a 16-year-old male high-school intern, who alleged the doctor sexually abused him from 2015 through 2017 while he worked at New York-Presbyterian.  Since the initial suit, more and more alleged victims have stepped up, and this newest batch of suits includes allegations that Paduch may have abused several more underage boys.  The new suits also allege that Paduch’s abuse spans back a decade.

“We hope the victims of Dr. Paduch know that they are not alone, and that these hospitals are complicit in their failure to protect patients,” said Mallory Allen, who represents the 70 alleged victims, in a statement.  “Even after being made aware of the abuse, both institutions failed to properly investigate these concerns and allowed Dr. Paduch to continue practicing medicine and seeing patients for over a decade – and, to this day, have still not informed their patients of the truth behind his sexual abuse of patients or their rights to recourse,” Allen said.

The attorney noted that victims now have until Nov. 23 to come forward and file suits under New York’s Adult Survivors Act.  The act has allowed people to make claims, even outside of the statute of limitations, for a limited time and bring claims against alleged abusers and the institutions that may have protected them.

A representative for Northwell Health commented saying that Dr. Paduch no longer works there, adding that the hospital will cooperate with the authorities and the probe. “Northwell Health strives to provide the highest level of care to its patients, patients’ families and communities,” said Barbara Osborn, the hospital rep. “We are deeply disturbed by these allegations and take them very seriously.”

A Weill Cornell representative said in an e-mailed statement that its institution “values the care and safety of our patients above all else, and we are taking these matters very seriously.”  The written statement added, “The acts described are disturbing and appalling, and we feel deeply for those involved. We are fully cooperating with law enforcement, and Cornell’s Office of General Counsel has engaged outside counsel to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the behavior of former WCM faculty member Dr. Paduch and the circumstances surrounding the allegations.”