Los Angeles hospital physician claims she was sexually assaulted by fellow physician

A Los Angeles-based LAC+USC Medical Center physician filed a lawsuit against LA County and Los Angeles-based University of Southern California, alleging both entities mishandled her complaint against a physician colleague who allegedly sexually assaulted her in 2015, according to The San Diego Union-Tribune.

Here are seven things to know about the case.

1. Meena Zareh, MD, a second-year fellow at LAC+USC Medical Center, filed a lawsuit against the hospital and county in 2016, alleging both entities failed to properly investigate her complaint against another fellow at the hospital at the time, and retaliated against her by pressuring her into delaying her career and keeping quiet about the alleged incident. The lawsuit is expected to go to trial in 2019.

2. In her 2016 lawsuit, Dr. Zareh claimed Guillermo A. Cortes, MD, summoned her to a private physicians' call room on Nov. 17, 2015, to discuss a patient's care. She claimed that once the discussion ended, Dr. Cortes overpowered her, reached under her scrubs and violated her, according to the report.

3. Dr. Zareh claimed in the lawsuit she told a coworker about the incident later that same day. The unidentified coworker confirmed Dr. Zareh's account in a sworn affidavit to police, obtained by The Los Angeles Times.

4. While having previously feared retaliation, Dr. Zareh eventually decided to report the incident to administrators in charge of her residency program three months after the alleged assault, the report states. USC said in a statement the administrator in charge followed procedure and forwarded the complaint to LA County, because both Drs. Zareh and Cortes were considered county employees, according to the report.

5. LA County officials said they took "immediate and appropriate actions" and referred the matter to human resources, prompting an inquiry, and subsequently placed Dr. Cortes on paid leave, according to a statement from the county’s health department to the Los Angeles Times. However, before the county's inquiry had ended, officials reportedly sent Dr. Cortes a letter allowing him to return to work in May 2016, but explicitly barring him from maintaining any unsupervised contact with Dr. Zareh.

6. Dr. Zareh claims she began to face retaliation shortly after coming forward with the complaint. According to her, several of her supervisors suggested she delay her fellowship training and consider transferring to a facility outside of California, according to the report. She claims officials also continued to schedule her alongside Dr. Cortes despite her repeated requests to be scheduled at different times.

7. The case was presented to the LA County district attorney's office last December. However, officials declined to file a felony charge against Dr. Cortes because the case reportedly lacked evidence at that time, according to a memo obtained by the Los Angeles Times. However, police officials said Feb. 20 investigators still have an "open and active investigation" into the incident and are also reportedly looking for "other potential victims," the report states.

To access the full report, click here.

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