Throughout a four-decade career spanning from the 1940s until his retirement in 1982, Dr. Reginald Archibald used his position as a pediatric endocrinologist and faculty member of Rockefeller University in New York City to sexually abuse hundreds and potentially thousands of children who sought treatment from him at the University’s hospital. Although Dr. Archibald passed away in 2007, substantial evidence has surfaced recently indicating that Rockefeller University knew about his misconduct as early as the 1960s but did nothing to stop it.
If you were sexually molested or assaulted by Dr. Archibald at Rockefeller University Hospital or the Madison Square Boys & Girls Club, you may have grounds to demand civil compensation from both the doctor’s estate and from the organization that failed to protect you from his abuse. Phillips Law Group has years of experience helping people like you with cases like yours, and a qualified sexual assault attorney from their team will be an irreplaceable ally to have on your side during Dr. Reginald Archibald sexual abuse lawsuits.
There have been extensive allegations made against Dr. Archibald that he sexually abused minor patients, most of whom were young boys, by engaging in inappropriate touching, taking photographs of them nude, and even taking some to a private residence in Canada. Even worse, some reports indicate that Rockefeller University, whose property Dr. Archibald used to conduct examinations and commit a significant portion of his abuse, first learned of Dr. Archibald’s misconduct as early as 1961.
However, University administrators failed to acknowledge Dr. Archibald’s behavior despite numerous reports filed over several decades; further, the New York District Attorney’s office referred a complaint against the doctor to a grand jury, which ultimately declined to indict him. Rockefeller University only revoked Dr. Archibald’s honors and reached out to the doctor’s victims by letter in 2018, which was the first time many of those victims learned that Dr. Archibald had abused other people besides themselves. This was the primary impetus for most of the sexual misconduct litigation that victims have now filed against Dr. Reginald Archibald’s estate, Rockefeller University, and the University’s hospital.
Recent changes in New York State law have made it so that people who experienced childhood sexual harassment from Dr. Reginald Archibald may still be able to file a civil suit even if decades have passed since that abuse occurred. Specifically, the New York Child Victims Act, passed into law in 2019, allows people who suffered sexual abuse while younger than 18 years of age to file suit over that abuse up until their 55th birthday.
Because Dr. Archibald passed away before he could be criminally charged for his abuse, it is worth emphasizing that there is no need to establish criminal wrongdoing in order to hold a party civilly liable for damages. A member of the Phillips Law Group team can discuss options with affected individuals in more detail during a no-cost, confidential consultation.
Dr. Reginald Archibald is the only person who holds direct responsibility for the pain and trauma he caused hundreds of young children in New York City. However, Rockefeller University and the hospital in which Dr. Archibald worked also hold substantial legal liability for their failure to prevent their faculty member from abusing children.
Phillips Law Group can help you explore your options for pursuing Dr. Reginald Archibald sexual abuse lawsuits, even if it has been decades since he abused you. Call them today to arrange a free, no-obligation consultation.
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