Four Winds Hospitals Sex Abuse Lawsuit
Four Winds Hospitals, a pair of New York state psychiatric care facilities, have faced multiple patient abuse issues in recent years, including the alleged sexual abuse of minor patients. Some former staff members have faced criminal charges for related sexual misconduct, which has drawn attention to the hospitals’ failures to adequately supervise their facilities and take precautionary measures to prevent abuse.
If you or a loved one experienced sexual abuse at a Four Winds Hospital location—even if it occurred years or decades ago—you have legal rights and options in both civil and criminal court.
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We can help answer your questions and connect you with an attorney if you may have a case.
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Author: Kathryn Kosmides
Survivor Advocate
- Four Winds Hospitals operates two psychiatric care facilities in Katonah and Saratoga Springs, New York.
- These facilities have faced recent scrutiny regarding allegations of patient sexual abuse by staff and other patients.
- If you or a loved one experienced sexual abuse at a Four Winds Hospital, even if it was years ago, you have legal rights and options, and we’re here to help you understand them.
Overview of Four Winds Hospitals
Founded in 1978, the Four Winds Hospitals are located on separate campuses in Katonah and Saratoga Springs, New York. The Katonah facility is a 178-bed psychiatric hospital, while the Saratoga facility has 88 beds. Both serve children as young as five, adolescents, and adults in inpatient and outpatient psychiatric programs.
Sexual Abuse Allegations at Four Winds Hospitals
In 2017, Four Winds Hospitals was at the center of several lawsuits and investigations involving the sexual abuse of patients by staff members and other residents. One woman filed a lawsuit on behalf of her 13-year-old daughter, who was allegedly repeatedly sexually assaulted by another resident at the Katonah facility in 2015. The girl told her mother she was afraid to report the abuse despite repeated assaults.
One day after the lawsuit was filed, state police arrested a 31-year-old Four Winds staff member for alleged sexual contact with a 19-year-old patient at the same facility. Dominic R. Sbordone was charged with third-degree criminal sexual act and second-degree sexual abuse.
Institutional Negligence and Oversight Failures
Many cases of sexual abuse, especially in hospital settings, are preventable with proper hiring practices, staff supervision, and patient monitoring. The recent complaints and criminal charges document how the hospitals allegedly failed to supervise staff to prevent the abuse of their patients.
- Overview of Four Winds Hospitals
- Sexual Abuse Allegations at Four Winds Hospitals
- Institutional Negligence and Oversight Failures
- Legal Rights of Survivors of Psychiatric Facility Abuse
- How a Sexual Abuse Lawyer Can Help
- Speak With a Psychiatric Facility Abuse Lawyer Today
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Want To Speak With A Lawyer?
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Legal Rights of Survivors of Psychiatric Facility Abuse
Filing a Civil Lawsuit Against Four Winds
If you experienced sexual abuse at a Four Winds Hospital, you may have the right to file a civil lawsuit against the facility for its negligence. By taking legal action, you may be able to recover compensation for the abuse you endured, including damages for pain, suffering, medical bills, therapy costs, lost wages, and more. Civil lawsuits can also hold negligent institutions accountable and create positive change in hiring practices and supervision.
To pursue a claim against Four Winds, you must file suit within the state’s civil statute of limitations for sexual abuse. In 2019, New York passed the Child Victims Act, expanding the statute of limitations for childhood sexual abuse survivors. Victims born after February 14, 1998, who were abused at privately operated residential treatment centers, such as Four Winds Hospitals, have until age 55 to file civil lawsuits.
For adult victims of sexual abuse, the New York statute of limitations generally allows survivors three years from the date of the abuse or assault to file a civil lawsuit. However, there are exceptions to this rule.
Criminal Reporting Options
While reporting the abuse you endured to law enforcement is not technically necessary to pursue a civil action, it’s still an important step that creates documentation and initiates an investigation that may serve as evidence in your lawsuit. You can still file suit even if the perpetrator of your abuse is never criminally charged or convicted.
You can file a police report by contacting the local law enforcement agency, where you can even schedule a time to file a report.
Reporting to Oversight Agencies
Besides contacting law enforcement, you can also report abuse to the New York State Office of Mental Health, or OMH, which oversees New York’s psychiatric health systems and enforces state and federal regulations for mental health caregiving.
You can also report allegations of abuse and neglect to the New York State Justice Center for the Protection of People with Special Needs by calling 1-855-373-2122 or making a report online. Anyone, including parents, advocates, and guardians, can make a report to this hotline if they believe someone with special needs has been abused, neglected, or mistreated.
How a Sexual Abuse Lawyer Can Help
If you or someone you know experienced sexual abuse at a Four Winds Hospital, an experienced sexual abuse attorney will explain your rights and legal options. Whether you want to report to the Justice Center or file an institutional sexual abuse lawsuit, an attorney can help you understand these processes and the potential outcomes.
Speak With a Psychiatric Facility Abuse Lawyer Today
Survivors of sexual abuse at psychiatric facilities such as the Four Winds Hospitals deserve help to move forward. At Helping Survivors, we work to inform institutional abuse victims of their reporting rights and legal options. We can connect you with experienced lawyers who offer free consultations and take such cases on a contingency fee basis. Thus, there are no upfront costs for survivors to seek help and potentially file a claim.
It’s important for abuse survivors to fully understand their legal rights and options before deciding whether to take action. To learn more about your options, contact Helping Survivors.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Are Four Winds Hospitals Accused Of?
Four Winds Hospitals have faced lawsuits and investigations in recent years regarding staff and resident sexual abuse of patients.
Can I Sue a Psychiatric Hospital for Sexual Abuse?
Yes, survivors of hospital sexual abuse in New York have the right to take legal action against the hospital for negligent hiring practices, failure to supervise staff, and failure to adequately monitor patients to prevent abuse.
How Long Do I Have To File a Sex Abuse Lawsuit in New York?
New York’s civil child sexual abuse statute of limitations gives survivors until their 55th birthday to file a lawsuit. For survivors of adulthood sexual abuse or assault, the law allows victims three years to file suit.
What Compensation Can I Recover From a Psychiatric Abuse Lawsuit?
In a psychiatric hospital abuse lawsuit, you may be able to recover compensation for medical bills, pain, suffering, emotional distress, therapy costs, lost wages, loss of quality of life, and more, depending on your situation.
Is My Lawsuit Confidential if I File Against Four Winds Hospitals?
New York courts generally allow a plaintiff to proceed anonymously if specific criteria are met, including in cases of sexual abuse.
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