Dr. David Farley: Patient Rights & Options
David Farley is a former Oregon doctor accused of sexually abusing patients of all ages and genders under the guise of providing medical care. If you were a patient of Dr. Farley, you deserve to understand your rights and options.
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Author: Kathryn Kosmides
- David Farley is accused of sexually abusing at least 128 patients of all ages and genders under the guise of medical care while employed as a doctor in Oregon in recently filed lawsuits.
- Starting in 2020, a criminal investigation against Dr. Farley occurred by the West Linn police department and the Clackamas County District Attorney’s Office but did not result in criminal charges due to what patients of Farley’s have called a “botched” investigation.
- If you underwent pelvic, breast, or rectal exams by Farley or any other medical procedures that you felt were unnecessary or unduly painful, you have legal rights and options. However, time is of the essence when pursuing justice.
Dr. David Farley: Sexual Abuse Allegations
David Farley was a licensed family medicine practitioner at the West Linn Family Health Center in Oregon. He was also reportedly affiliated with Legacy Meridian Park Medical Center and Providence Willamette Falls Medical Center.
In the summer of 2020, Farley resigned as a medical practitioner in Oregon after the Oregon Medical Board received reports about his alleged sexual abuse of patients. The Board subsequently revoked his license after investigating. The reports from patients allege that Dr. Farley performed medically unnecessary, unsupervised, and excessive pelvic exams, breast exams, and pap smears on young girls under the age of 18. He also allegedly solicited parents for permission to photograph the breasts and external genitalia of teenage patients.
By September 2020, the Oregon Medical Board found that Farley had exhibited “unprofessional or dishonorable conduct” with multiple patients, including sexual misconduct and negligence, and they revoked his medical license.
The Oregon Medical Board shared the results of its investigation with the West Linn Police Department, and Farley’s patients were encouraged to speak to Detective Tony Christensen. Several of his patients filed police reports against David Farley, alleging years of medical sexual abuse. However, they say Detective Christensen and Clackamas County District Attorney John Wentworth’s office were dismissive of their claims.
In 2022, the case was brought to a grand jury, but the grand jury decided the prosecutors lacked enough evidence for a criminal indictment.
Two patients who have been vocal about their experiences alleged a “botched” criminal investigation and joined 71 of Dr. Farley’s former patients in a September 2022 open letter to Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum. While no criminal action has been taken against Farley yet, Rosenblum and other offices have said they are continuing to review the case.
The criminal investigation against Dr. Farley has been widely criticized, with outside investigators allegedly finding case files had been lost and that Christensen was “uninformed” and “did not have the training” to conduct interviews and investigations in sexual assault and abuse cases.
Farley briefly attempted to become a teacher’s aide in a public school in Idaho in 2020. However, he lasted only one day in the classroom because local authorities learned of the West Linn investigation.
Dr. Farley currently lives in Nephi, Utah, and is allowed to continue attending the local Latter Day Saints church, also known as the Mormon church, although the church is aware of his abuse allegations.
Recently, three of the most outspoken patients, Lisa Pratt, Nicole Snow, and Katie Medley, filed a doctor sexual abuse lawsuit against Dr. Farley. The lawsuit has been amended to now represent over 120 women, girls, men, and boys who allege Farley abused them.
If you were a patient of Dr. Farley and suspect abuse, you have legal rights and options. We’re here to help you understand these rights so you can take the next best step forward. Contact us, and we’ll help answer your questions and connect you with an experienced lawyer who can help today.
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- New York Dr. Darius Paduch Accused of Sexual Assault & Misconduct
- New York Dr. Cheng Accused of Sexual Assault & Misconduct
- UCLA Gynecologist: Dr. James Heaps Convicted
- Dr. Hadden Lawsuit in New York
Legal Rights and Options for Patients of Dr. David Farley
Dr. David Farley is accused of a wide range of allegations of medical sexual abuse. The alleged victims are patients of all genders and ages. It has been reported that Farley often told patients or their parents that he had a young patient die of cervical cancer to convince the patients or their parents that pervasive and repetitive pelvic exams were necessary.
Some reported examples of Dr. Farley’s abuse include:
- Groping breasts
- Photographing genitalia and breasts
- Penetrative pelvic exams
- Penetrative rectal exams
- Unnecessary hymenectomies, procedures that rupture the hymen
- Inappropriate touching
- Inappropriate comments
Some of Farley’s patients allege he performed the hymenectomies to “make sex more pleasurable” for female patients.
Many of Farley’s alleged victims have reported they did not recognize the experiences were doctor sexual abuse at the time. They’ve stated a variety of reasons, including not knowing proper medical procedure. Many have cited that growing up in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints made them even less sure of what they had experienced, given the lack of sex education in the community.
If you were a patient of Dr. David Farley and had a pelvic exam, breast exam, hymenectomy, or any other interaction with Farley that seemed unnecessary or unduly painful, you may have experienced medical sexual abuse. You deserve to know your rights and options to seek help, healing, and accountability.
File a Sexual Assault Lawsuit Against Dr. Farley
Over 120 former patients have joined a lawsuit against Dr. Farley and his previous employers, alleging years of medical sexual abuse. It is not too late for you to sue or join the existing lawsuit against Dr. Farley and his associates if you have experienced sexual abuse.
Lawsuits allow victims to pursue monetary compensation for their harm. However, civil litigation can do much more than that. It creates a public record documenting the harm, potentially encourages others to come forward, and hopefully prevents future harm from happening to others through changes in law and policies.
The pending lawsuit seeks nearly $1 billion from Dr. Farley, West Linn Family Health Center, Legacy Meridian Park Medical Center, and Providence Willamette Falls Medical Center. A trial date is set for early 2026.
Given a trial date has been set, time is of the essence for individuals to come forward and join the lawsuit. Even if you are unsure about filing or participating in litigation, we recommend talking with an experienced attorney as soon as possible.
In Oregon, the civil statute of limitations for most sexual assault lawsuits is generally two years from the incident date. However, if you were a child at the time of the abuse, the deadline is extended until the victim’s 40th birthday.
Additionally, Farley’s patients likely qualify as vulnerable persons under Oregon’s Abuse of Vulnerable Persons Act. That law extends the statute of limitations for adults to seven years from the date of the harm. Regardless of whether you think the civil statute of limitations has already expired, reach out to a qualified sexual abuse attorney. Only a knowledgeable and experienced attorney can determine whether you are still eligible to file suit.
It is believed that Farley may have abused hundreds of patients of all ages during his decades-long career. Therefore, the current lawsuit may only involve a small percentage of the patients impacted by Dr. Farley’s abuse.
We can connect you with a lawyer today for a free consultation. If you choose to proceed, the lawyer will represent you on a contingency fee basis, meaning there are no upfront costs, and they only get paid if they recover compensation for you.
We are here to listen and advocate for you.
Report Sexual Abuse by Dr. Farley to Law Enforcement
While the first criminal investigation against Dr. Farley did not result in charges, another one is believed to be ongoing.
Given the previous results, we understand that you may be hesitant to report Farley to law enforcement. However, because of the mounting public pressure and outside investigations that have since been launched, the experience will likely be different for the individuals who come forward now.
Generally, a police report must be filed in person at the local police station within the jurisdiction where the incident occurred. Thus, you can contact the West Linn department or the department where the abuse occurred to discuss filing a report. You can bring someone with you when filing a report with law enforcement.
Before reporting, it can be helpful to write down everything you remember, including the date, details of the incident, how it affected you, any evidence, and information on potential witnesses or people you told following the incident.
While private citizens cannot press criminal charges against someone, filing a police report will trigger an investigation. It will also document the harm and create an important paper trail that can help investigators. Furthermore, it can be used to hold authorities accountable if they continue to fail survivors, as we have already seen in this case.
Connect With a Doctor Sexual Assault Lawyer Today
The abuse allegations against David Farley are horrible, and it is believed he may have abused hundreds of patients during his decades-long career. While you may not have recognized what happened to you under his care as medical abuse at the time, you deserve to be heard and to understand your rights and options.
Whether or not you choose to file suit or report the abuse, simply knowing your options and what these processes entail is an important first step for impacted individuals.
That’s where we can help. We can answer your questions and connect you with an experienced doctor sexual abuse attorney. Every law firm we work with provides a free consultation. Furthermore, if you choose to move forward, they will represent you on a contingency fee basis, meaning they charge no upfront costs and only get paid if they recover compensation for you.
An attorney with experience in doctor sexual abuse cases can do the following:
- Investigate and collect evidence related to the abuse
- Draft and submit formal complaints to medical boards or institutions
- Report the abuse to law enforcement if this has not already been done
- Prepare and file a sexual abuse lawsuit against Dr. Farley and his affiliated medical institutions on your behalf
- File the complaint under seal or as a “Jane Doe” or “John Doe” to protect your identity, if possible
- Manage all communications with the doctor’s legal team, medical institutions, their legal teams, insurers, and the courts
- Guide you through the discovery and deposition process
- Negotiate with the opposition for a potential settlement
- Represent you in all court proceedings related to the case
- Take your case to trial, if necessary
Given the ongoing lawsuits against Dr. Farley and criminal investigations, it is crucial to speak with a lawyer as soon as possible. Contact us—we are here to help you understand your rights and options today.
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