University of California to Settle Gynecologist Sexual Abuse Case by Paying $243 Million | How Much Money Will Each Victim Receive?

The University of California has agreed to pay $243.6 million to settle the lawsuit about the hundreds of women sexually abused by a former gynecologist at the campus.

The payout in relation to the sexual abuse case of Dr. James Heaps, who works at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in various roles from 1983 to 2018, was the latest among several payouts that universities announced in recent years concerning sexual abuse cases, The New York Times reported.

It reportedly comes on top of a $73 million settlement announced in November 2020 to settle a class-action lawsuit involving more than 5,000 people who had been patients of Heaps since the 1980s.

The new settlement, which the university and lawyers announced on Tuesday, resolved the claims of 203 women. Around 600 women had already opted out of the class-action suit.

According to an indictment, the civil agreements are separate from the criminal case against Heaps, who currently faces 21 felony counts of sexual abuse during medical tests.

The University of California Settles Sexual Abuse Claims

The Los Angeles Times reported that the settlement does not cover more than 300 patients who will continue to sue James Heaps.

John Manly, a lawyer for the lead plaintiff in the case against Heaps, said the settlement amounts to $1.2 million for each plaintiff, the same as the one USC struck last year, paying $852 million to more than 700 women who accused another school gynecologist George Tyndall of sexual abuse.

Some women described the settlement as a vindication after years of complaining about Heaps and seeing little action about it.

Kara Cagle reported Heaps while she was undergoing treatment at the university. She is a breast cancer survivor.

Cagle said she finally received recognition of what happened to her after eight years of waiting. However, she noted that her heart breaks for all the women who were not spared and suffered after her because UCLA refused to act on their complaints.

Another victim, Julie Wallach, said she hoped the settlement would change how the university handles reports of abuse.

Wallach noted that it was long overdue, adding that it was 24 years ago when she was referred to Heaps at the time, and the doctor sexually abused and assaulted her.

Al Jazeera reported that the settlement was reached with the assistance of a private mediator after substantial litigation, as stated by the parties in a statement.

A UCLA statement noted that the claims against Heaps were reprehensible and contrary to their values. The university noted that their first and highest obligation will always be the communities that they serve, adding that they were hoping the settlement is one step to providing healing and closure.

UCLA Investigates Sexual Abuse Claims

UCLA started its investigations on James Heap in 2017. He retired the next year after the school declined to renew his contract.

Heaps has pleaded not guilty and denied any wrongdoing. Heaps was then indicted by a grand jury last May on charges of sexually abusing seven female patients from 2011 to 2018.

Since then, hundreds of women have come forward to allege that Heaps had sexually abused them, as well as told inappropriate comments.

The women also said that Heaps touched them during exams without wearing gloves and simulated intercourse with an ultrasound probe.

This article is owned by Latin Post

Written by: Mary Webber

WATCH: UCLA Agrees to Settle Sexual Abuse Allegations Against Former Gynecologist - From ABC 7