Columbia University & Hospital Settle $750M Sex Abuse Case for Dr. Robert Hadden's Victims

Landmark Settlement for Survivors

• 🎯 A historic settlement of $750 million has been reached between Columbia University, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, and hundreds of women who survived abuse by Dr. Robert Hadden.
• ⚖️ This settlement is considered a landmark victory, marking one of the largest payouts in US history involving a medical institution.
• 👏 The legal payouts now exceed $1 billion when combined with earlier settlements, highlighting the scale of the abuse and the fight for justice.

Columbia's Role and Cover-Up

• ⚠️ Survivors and their attorney allege that Columbia University knew about Dr. Hadden's abusive behavior as early as the 1990s but failed to act, instead covering up the misconduct.
• 📢 Columbia is accused of ignoring patients who spoke out, undermining prosecutors, and shielding Dr. Hadden, a known serial predator, from accountability.
• 📣 The university only notified patients about potential legal action a few days before survivors had a chance to file lawsuits, after significant protests from survivors and medical professionals.

Survivor Testimonies and Courage

• 💔 Eva Santos Veloz, who was 18 and undocumented at the time, recounts being sexually assaulted multiple times during her first labor in 2008, feeling afraid and ashamed to speak out for years.
• 🏥 Lori Maldonado, an OB-GYN patient of Hadden's between 2003 and 2012, was sexually assaulted days before her son's birth, detailing the physical and emotional pain caused by his actions.
• 💪 Both survivors emphasize the bravery of coming forward, finding their voice, and supporting each other, which encouraged more women to share their stories.

Legal and Institutional Accountability

• 🏛️ Dr. Hadden was sentenced to 20 years in prison in 2023 for molesting his patients.
• 💰 The settlement aims to hold institutions accountable for their complicity, with the attorney emphasizing that institutions often prioritize their money and reputation.
• 🔍 While the settlement is a significant win, survivors are pushing for further institutional changes and accountability from Columbia beyond financial compensation, seeking to prevent future abuse.

Broader Implications and Future Steps

• 📈 The case highlights systemic issues in medical institutions, referencing similar cases at other universities like Wild Cornell, Michigan, USC, and UCLA.
• 🗣️ Survivors are working with the attorney general's office to ensure institutional accountability and implement measures to prevent such abuse from recurring in clinics and hospitals.
• ✨ A key part of the settlement includes removing Robert Hadden's name from children's birth certificates, offering a measure of closure for some survivors.