Although it seems unthinkable, there are instances when a physician or nurse may engage in sexual misconduct with a patient.
Regardless of the circumstances, it directly works against the medical profession's code of conduct when a healthcare work engages in sexual activity with a current patient.
In many fields, this extends to cover recent patients as well, separating the healthcare worker by a predetermined sum of time before the patient and professional can develop a relationship.
In cases of non-consensual sexual activity, this abuse of a patient can cause serious damage to the patient's well-being.
Directly against both professional and legal codes, this sort of behavior can destroy a patient's trust in healthcare workers and cause severe psychological trauma.
As a result, the patient may be able to take legal action against the abuser and the abuser's employer.
After an instance of sexual abuse, the law often permits wronged patients to take legal action against those who have attacked them.
Psychological and emotional trauma commonly follows abuse, making coping with daily pressures all the more difficult.
In addition to financial compensation from this sort of trauma, a patient may also sue for compensation for additional psychological treatments resulting from that trauma.
This includes therapy and medication costs.
If a person has suffered physical injury due to the violence involved in their abuse, they may take action for any medical bills resulting from those injuries.
This may include treatment costs for substantial lacerations, broken bones, and traumatic brain damage.
In some jurisdictions, there may be additional punitive damages awarded in these instances.
To learn more about sexual abuse and medical malpractice, contact a medical malpractice attorney.
It is important that abuse victims act quickly to pursue legal action.