Can You Sue a Doctor for Sexual Abuse? Here’s What You Should Know

There’s a level of trust built into every doctor visit. You’re asked to be vulnerable—physically and emotionally—on the assumption that the person in charge is acting in your best interest. When that trust is broken, the damage doesn’t stop at emotional scars. It can affect your health, your income, and your sense of safety in ways most people never see coming.

Sexual abuse by a medical professional is a serious violation. If it’s something you or someone close to you has experienced, it’s natural to wonder what legal options are available. The answer is clear: yes, you can sue a doctor for sexual abuse. And in many cases, legal action becomes a way to hold them accountable and begin moving forward.

What Is Considered Sexual Abuse by a Doctor?

Sexual abuse in a medical setting can take many forms—some of which aren’t always easy to recognize. It isn’t always violent. Sometimes it’s a doctor making inappropriate comments during an exam, touching a patient without a legitimate reason, or ignoring professional boundaries. In more severe situations, it can involve outright assault disguised as treatment.

The power dynamic between doctors and patients complicates these cases. People often wonder whether what happened was illegal, unethical, or simply uncomfortable. But if something felt degrading, non-consensual, or clearly wrong, it likely crossed a legal line.

A medical license doesn’t shield someone from consequences. Doctors, like anyone else, are responsible for their actions. When that responsibility is abused, legal action is often the only meaningful recourse.

Can You Sue a Doctor for Sexual Abuse?

Yes, you can. Sexual abuse by a doctor is not only a breach of medical ethics—it’s a civil offense. Victims have the right to take legal action against healthcare providers who misuse their position and cause lasting harm, whether emotional, physical, or financial.

If you’re wondering whether you can sue a doctor for sexual abuse, the short answer is that many victims can—and many do. These lawsuits are typically handled in civil court under personal injury law, separate from any criminal proceedings.

A successful case can result in compensation for therapy, medical bills, lost income, and other damages. Lawsuits also make it harder for abusive professionals to continue practicing, helping to protect future patients.

Each state has its statute of limitations that sets a deadline for filing a claim. In some places, the timeline starts on the date of the abuse. In others, it begins when the victim first understands the impact. Speaking to a lawyer early can help clarify what deadlines apply in your situation.

What Kinds of Compensation Can Victims Receive?

Sexual abuse by a medical professional often creates a ripple effect—emotionally, professionally, and financially. A civil lawsuit allows survivors to seek compensation that reflects all of that, not just medical bills or short-term therapy costs.

Missed work, gaps in education, long-term counseling, and career disruption are all common consequences. These losses can be included in a legal claim. In some cases, punitive damages are also awarded to punish especially egregious behavior.

Legal action can also uncover negligence by institutions. If a clinic or hospital failed to prevent or report known misconduct, they can be held liable as well. For those who want a clearer picture of how this issue plays out in healthcare settings, RAINN offers a breakdown of sexual abuse by medical professionals, including common signs, reporting advice, and legal context.

Why Legal Action Can Support Financial Recovery

The emotional impact of abuse is hard to miss. But the financial strain often goes unrecognized. Ongoing therapy, missed work, disrupted education—these aren’t small hurdles. They can reshape someone’s entire financial path.

A lawsuit won’t undo what happened, but it can help survivors recover costs tied to treatment, lost wages, and other disruptions. Legal action may also bring a sense of agency, especially when the harm has caused instability that doesn’t resolve on its own.

What to Expect If You Decide to Pursue a Claim

Taking legal action can sound daunting. But it often starts with one phone call. Most attorneys who handle these cases offer free consultations, which means you can get an honest opinion about your situation without any obligation.

If you have documentation—notes, appointment records, emails, anything that supports your memory of the event—bring it. The more context you can provide, the more helpful the conversation will be.

Pursuing fair compensation after a serious medical injury often involves steps like gathering evidence, documenting your experience, and building a case—even in situations involving abuse. Understanding how that process works can make it easier to decide how and when to move forward.

Final Thoughts

Abuse by a doctor is one of the deepest betrayals someone can experience. It can leave you questioning your judgment, your safety, and your ability to trust others in positions of authority. But you do have rights—and legal options.

If you’re thinking about taking action, don’t pressure yourself to figure everything out right away. Start by speaking with someone who’s handled these kinds of cases before. Even one conversation can make the path ahead a little clearer—and a little less overwhelming.

This post may contain affiliate links. Financial Panther has partnered with AwardWallet and CardRatings for our coverage of credit card products. Financial Panther, AwardWallet, and CardRatings may receive a commission from card issuers. Some or all of the card offers that appear on the website are from advertisers. Compensation may impact on how and where card products appear on the site. The site does not include all card companies, or all available card offers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any of these entities.

More Recommended Ebike/Scooters

Check out these other ebikes and scooters I've reviewed:

Urban Arrow Ebike – Last year, I made one of the largest purchases I’ve ever made – I bought a $9,000 electric cargo bike from Urban Arrow. In my Urban Arrow review, I will discuss what it is and why I decided to buy this bike, as well as discuss how impactful a bike like this can be on your journey to financial independence.
Troxus Explorer Step-Thru Ebike – The Troxus Explorer Step-Thru is a fat-tire ebike that I’ve had the pleasure of riding for a while now. It has amazing power, great looks, and awesome range. If you’re looking for a great fat-tire ebike that offers a lot for the price, the Troxus Explorer Step-Thru is definitely one for you to consider. Check out my Troxus Explorer Step-Thru Review.
Hovsco HovBeta Ebike – The HovBeta is a folding ebike with great specs and a lot of interesting features, and importantly, it’s sold at a good price point. I’ve had a blast commuting with it and using it to do deliveries with DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Grubhub. Check out my Hovsco HovBeta Ebike Review.
Vanpowers Manidae Ebike – The Vanpowers Manidae is a fat tire ebike that I’ve been riding as my primary winter commuting bike and have also been using it to do food delivery with apps like DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Grubhub. After clocking in a decent number of miles with this ebike, I wanted to write a post sharing what my experience with the Vanpowers Manidae ebike has been like. Check out my Vanpowers Manidae Review.
Sohamo S3 Step-Thru Folding EBike Review – A Great Value Folding Ebike – The Sohamo S3 Step-Thru Folding Ebike is an entry-level folding ebike that offers a lot of value for the price point. I’ve been riding the Sohamo S3 for a while now, putting the bike through its paces, and I have to say, this bike has exceeded all of my expectations. Check out my Sohamo Review.
KBO Flip Ebike – The KBO Flip is an excellent bike. I’ve had a great time riding it and think it’s a versatile bike that can be used for a lot of purposes and can fit a variety of lifestyles. It’s worked out great for me as a general commuter bike and as a food delivery bike. Check out my KBO Flip Review.
Hiboy P7 Commuter Ebike – The Hiboy P7 is an excellent electric commuter bike that’s offered at an affordable price point. The range and speed of this bike are both very good, so you won’t have any trouble getting anywhere you need to go with it. As a food delivery vehicle, this is also good – with how much range it offers, you’ll be able to work all day on a single charge. Check out my Hiboy P7 Commuter Electric Bike Review.
Himiway Escape Ebike – The Himiway Escape is an interesting bike for anyone looking for a moped-style ebike. If you’re a gig economy worker, the Himiway Escape is particularly interesting and it’s possible to think of it as an investment, especially if you can opt to do deliveries with the Himiway versus using a car. It’s not cheap, but you can definitely make your money back when you compare the mileage you’ll put on your car versus using an ebike. Check out my Himiway Escape Bike Review.
Espin Sport Ebike – The Espin Sport is a good ebike for someone who is looking for an ebike that feels and rides more like a regular bike. There are many ebikes that are really only bikes in name. In reality, they’re basically electric mopeds. The Espin Sport, by contrast, is a bike you could probably ride without the battery and you’d feel like you’re just riding a regular bike. Check out my Espin Sport Review.
Varla Eagle One Scooter – The Varla Eagle One is an excellent scooter that can make sense for a lot of people. It can work as a primary mode of transportation. You can use it to work on gig economy apps like DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Grubhub. And it can also be a recreational vehicle if you’d prefer to use it for that. Check out my Varla Eagle One Review.
Varla Falcon Scooter – The Varla Falcon is an excellent scooter that offers a good amount of power at a lower price point compared to more powerful scooters. It’s not exactly an entry-level scooter, nor is it a high-powered scooter. I think it fits somewhere in-between those two categories – an intermediate scooter if I had to give it a category. Check out my Varla Falcon Review.
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Hiboy S2R Scooter – The Hiboy S2R is one of the more interesting electric scooters I’ve been able to test out. It’s not a high-powered scooter, but for an everyday transport option, it’s very useful, especially given some of the unique features that it has. Indeed, for the price, the Hiboy S2R might be the best value scooter I’ve used. Check out my Hiboy S2R Review.
Fucare H3 Scooter – The Fucare H3 is a fun scooter and I’ve enjoyed testing it out. For a daily commuter or quick trips or errands, the Fucare H3 is probably the scooter I’ll use. It’s portable and easy to maneuver, so it’s just easier to take on the road when I need it. Check out my Fucare H3 Scooter Review.

More Recommended Investing App Bonuses

For additional investing app bonuses, be sure to check out the ones below:

M1 Finance ($100) – This is a great robo-advisor that has no fees and allows you to create a customized portfolio based on your risk tolerance. You also get $100 for opening an account. Check out my M1 Finance Referral Bonus – Step-By-Step Guide.
SoFi Invest ($25) – SoFi Invest is an easy brokerage account bonus that you can earn with just a few minutes of work. Use my SoFi Invest referral link, fund your SoFi Invest brokerage account with just $10 and you’ll get $25 of free stock. I also have a step-by-step guide for the SoFi Invest referral bonus.
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Moomoo (15 free stocks) – Moomoo is a free investing app currently offering 2 different referral bonuses if you open an account using a referral link. Read my Moomoo referral bonus guide for more information.
Robinhood (1 free stock) – Robinhood gives you a free stock valued between $2.50-$225 if you open an account using my referral link.
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If you’re looking for more easy bank bonuses, check out the below options. These bonuses are all easy to earn and have no fees or minimum balance requirements to worry about.

Upgrade ($200) – Upgrade is a free checking account that’s currently offering a $200 referral bonus if you open an account and complete a direct deposit. These bonus terms are easy to meet, so it’s well worth doing this bonus as soon as you can. Here’s a post I wrote with more details: Upgrade $200 Referral Bonus – Step By Step Directions.
Ally Bank ($100) – Of all the banks out there, Ally is, without a doubt, my favorite. At the moment, Ally is offering $100 to customers who open an eligible Ally account and meet the requirements. Here are the step-by-step directions to earn your Ally Bank referral bonus.
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US Bank Business ($900) – This is a fairly easy bank bonus to earn, since there are no direct deposit requirements. In addition, you can open the Silver Business Checking account, which comes with no monthly fees. Check out how to earn this big bonus here.
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Varo ($25) – Varo is a free fintech banking app similar to Chime or Current. It’s currently offering a $25 bonus to new users that open a new Varo account with a referral link. The bonus for this bank is very easy to meet, all you need to do is spend $20 within 30 days of opening your Varo account. Check out my step-by-step guide to learn how to earn this bonus.

Kevin is an attorney and the blogger behind Financial Panther, a blog about personal finance, travel hacking, and side hustling using the gig economy. He paid off $87,000 worth of student loans in just 2.5 years by choosing not to live like a big shot lawyer.

Kevin is passionate about earning money using the gig economy and you can see all the ways he makes extra income every month in his side hustle reports.

Kevin is also big on using the latest fintech apps to improve his finances. Some of Kevin's favorite fintech apps include:

SoFi Money. A really good checking account with absolutely no fees. You'll get a $25 referral bonus if you open a SoFi Money account with a referral link, and an additional $300 if you complete a direct deposit.
5% Savings Accounts. I'm currently getting 5.24% interest on my savings through a company called Raisin. Opening a Raisin account takes minutes to complete, it's free, and all of your funds are FDIC-insured. I explain how it works, why I'm now using it to store my emergency fund and any other cash savings I have, and why I recommend everyone check it out in this review.
US Bank Business. US Bank is currently offering new business customers a $900 signup bonus after opening a new account and meeting certain requirements.
M1 Finance. This is a great robo-advisor that has no fees and allows you to create a customized portfolio based on your risk tolerance. You also get $100 for opening an account.
Empower. One of best free apps you can use to monitor your portfolio and track your net worth. This is one of the apps I use to track my financial accounts.

Feel free to send Kevin a message here.