On Monday, a federal court gave final approval of a $73 million settlement for the alleged complaint against a former UCLA doctor who sexually assaulted approximately 6,000 women.
The Class-Suit Against the Former UCLA Gynecologist
In a recently published article in The Hill, during exams at the UCLA student health center Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, Dr. James Heaps grabbed women, mimicked intercourse with an ultrasound probe, or made improper remarks, according to the 2019 class-action complaint.
UCLA was also accused of neglecting to take action against Heaps despite complaints and of having a "policy of indifference" to sexual misconduct allegations, according to the lawsuit. Meanwhile, in 2019, Heaps was arrested and his medical license was revoked.
Over 100 former patients of Heaps have made accusations or filed individual cases, but the class-action suit covers all possible victims, according to a recently published news article in the Associated Press,
$73 Million Settlement to Sex Victims
On Monday, a federal court gave final permission to a $73 million lawsuit settlement. Each will get between $2,500 and $250,000, with the higher sums determined by a panel of experts based on the degree of physical damage and mental anguish.
In negotiating a settlement last year, UCLA did not admit guilt; but it did agree to alter its processes for preventing, detecting, investigating, and dealing with sexual misconduct. Patients aged 8 and above were required to have a professional chaperone present for intimate physical exams unless they opted out, according to a published report in KTLA.
According to the university, the inquiry against Heaps started in December 2017. When his contract with the institution was not renewed in 2018, he decided to retire. Heaps, 64, is also charged with 21 counts of sexual assault against seven women.
Heaps' Lawyer and UCLA Health Released a Statement
Heaps' attorney, Leonard Levine, stated at the time that the settlement was "much too premature" and that his client was "innocent of all criminal allegations."
Meanwhile, UCLA Health stated in a statement, "While we can't comment on the details of today's legal action, we can categorically declare that sexual misbehavior or abuse is never acceptable. We are dedicated to delivering high-quality treatment that is respectful of each patient's dignity," according to a published article in MSN News.
Furthermore, Heaps is facing an extra 21 felony charges, according to reports from May. In addition to the 67 years he faces now, the former doctor may face up to 24 years of imprisonment.
Related Case
UCLA's cross-town competitor, the University of Southern California, reached an $852 million settlement with more than 700 women who accused the university's long-time campus doctor of sexual assault in March.
That settlement is thought to be a world record for such a case. It eclipses the $500 million settlement with sports doctor Larry Nassar that Michigan State University agreed to pay in 2018.
USC agreed to pay up over $1 billion for allegations against 74-year-old Dr. George Tyndall, who worked at the institution for almost 30 years, when combined with a $215 million settlement of a separate class-action complaint. Between 2009 and 2016, Tyndall was charged with 35 counts of sexual misconduct.