On Monday January 6, 2020 a federal judge in Los Angeles signaled that he would give final approval to USC’s landmark, $215-million federal class-action settlement with former patients of Dr. George Tyndall, who has been accused of sexual abuse and misconduct relating to tens of thousands of female patients while he was the head gynecologist at the USC student health center for over two decades.
The Los Angeles Times reports that U.S. District Judge Stephen V. Wilson said he “was inclined to accept” the settlement, a decision that, barring any appeals, would allow approximately 18,000 women who saw Tyndall during their time at USC, regardless of whether they formally accused him of harassment or assault to receive monetary compensation.
The Times notes that the payouts to each former patient who saw Tyndall range from a guaranteed minimum of $2,500, with payments reaching up to $250,000 depending on the severity of the conduct and how much detail individual women want to provide in the claims process. A panel of experts has been appointed to decide the payout for women who choose to confidentially detail their allegations against Tyndall.
“This settlement is the first of its kind,” remarked Lieff Cabraser partner Annika K. Martin, one of the lead attorneys representing former patients, after the brief court hearing. She said the lack of any objections from Tyndall’s former patients and the large participation rate were an endorsement of the settlement.
“We tried very hard to get this right,” Martin told The Times in an interview. “It looks like something that many class members found to be a safe way to stand up and be counted and hold the school accountable.”
Contact Sexual Abuse Lawyer Annika K. Martin at Lieff Cabraser
Lieff Cabraser partner Annika K. Martin, herself an alumnus of USC’s law school, is leading the litigation for our firm on behalf of women who suffered violence, abuse, and harassment by George Tyndall and USC. She is a partner in the firm’s New York office and has represented plaintiffs since 2005 in environmental, mass tort, consumer protection, and sexual abuse cases. She can be reached at akmartin@lchb.com or 800-541-7358. There is no charge or obligation for your outreach, and all information will be held in the strictest confidence.
Contact us
Use the form below to contact a lawyer at Lieff Cabraser.
