Johns Hopkins Settles Malpractice Class Action Lawsuit for $190 Million

Protecting women who were victimized by gynecologist Dr. Nikita Levy

The Johns Hopkins Health System has agreed to settle a class-action lawsuit brought against them to the tune of $190 million. It is the single largest settlement in US history in a malpractice cases involving sexual misconduct on behalf of a physician. The lawsuit involved gynecologist Dr. Nikita Levy, who worked for Johns Hopkins for more than 25 years. More than 1,300 videos and photographs of women’s vaginas were found on Dr. Levy’s servers at home – images taken with hidden cameras in Dr. Levy’s pen and key fobs. When the allegations went public, Dr. Levy committed suicide.

Because the faces of the women in the videos and photos are never shown, the judge has ruled that any patient of Dr. Levy’s may be entitled to a portion of the lawsuit. According to Newsday, more than 8,000 women have already come forward. It is estimated that Dr. Levy saw 12,600 patients in his time at Johns Hopkins.

Why is this a class action lawsuit?

Because no faces are visible in the photos and videos, there is no way to tell just how many women were taped. Rather than being thousands of individual lawsuits, a class-action lawsuit was filed. In a class-action lawsuit, all parties sue as a collective – think Erin Brockovich – and the outcome will affect them as a group. In this particular case, the $190 million settlement will be divided among the 8,000 claimants, as well as any additional claimants who come forward before the deadline in November. One of the benefits of filing as a collective is the efficiency with which a resolution can be reached. Individual lawsuits can drag on for years, whereas a class-action lawsuit is decided at one time.

Currently, Dr. Levy’s victims are divided into four groups. How much money each victim receives will be decided by a chosen team of professionals. They evaluate each woman’s claim and determine which group she belongs in. Johns Hopkins’ insurance carrier will cover the full cost of the settlement.

Dr. Levy was my doctor; what do I do?

Plaxen Adler Muncy, P.A. is proud to help the women victimized by Nikita Levy. We understand the true gravity of this situation, and can help you get the information you need to move forward with your claim. We encourage you to call us at 410-730-7737 or use our contact form if you would like to discuss your case.