DR. DERRICK TODD SEXUAL ABUSE LAWSUITS

Fighting for Survivors Sexually Abused by Massachusetts Rheumatologist Dr. Todd

Levy Konigsberg is reviewing claims from former patients who were sexually abused by Massachusetts Rheumatologist Dr. Derrick Todd.

Dr. Derrick Todd was a Massachusetts rheumatologist who practiced at Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital in Boston, Charles River Medical Associates in Framingham, Lahey Hospital and Medical Center in Burlington, and Massachusetts General Hospital. Civil lawsuits, criminal charges, and regulatory investigations have alleged that Todd performed medically unnecessary breast, pelvic, and rectal exams on patients for personal gratification while hospitals and physician groups allegedly failed to adequately supervise him and protect patients.

Levy Konigsberg is known nationally for litigating sexual abuse claims against powerful institutions and has extensive experience fighting for survivors who were abused by physicians. If you have questions about a sexual abuse lawsuit involving Dr. Derrick Todd, we want to help.

Dr. Todd’s History of Sexual Abuse

Dr. Derrick Todd was a prominent rheumatologist who treated patients from throughout Massachusetts from Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital in Boston, where he was Chief of Clinical Rheumatology, and other medical practices. In addition to treating autoimmune disorders as a rheumatologist, he was also an internist who worked as a primary care doctor.

Dr. Todd is known to have practiced at:

• Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital in Boston (July 2009 – July 2023)
• Charles River Medical Associates in Framingham (August 2010 – July 2023)
• Lahe Hospital and Medical Center in Burlington (July 2006 – June 2009)
• Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston (July 2003 – June 2005)

While the scope of Todd’s misconduct is still unknown, the former doctor has been subject to independent, regulatory, and criminal investigations and allegations from over 100 victims. These allegations and investigations have all focused on Todd’s inappropriate conduct with patients, including his performance of medically unnecessary breast, pelvic, and rectal exams.

Here are some additional details about the investigations and lawsuits surrounding Dr. Todd.

• In April 2026, it was reported that 81 new sexual assault charges were filed against Todd in Suffolk Superior Court for allegedly sexually molesting former patients while performing exams at Brigham & Women’s and Faulkner Hospital. 

• In April 2024, NBC Boston reported the number of people to have accused Dr. Todd of sexual abuse to now be over 200. Patients claim Todd performed unnecessary, invasive exams for personal gratification. AP News tells the story of Kristin Fritz, where she recounts her harrowing experience with Dr. Derrick Todd. More than a decade after the incident, Fritz came forward, joining the over 200 women and several men in accusing Todd of sexual abuse and unnecessary exam.

• As of October 2023, Todd was the subject of four separate lawsuits, including two class-action lawsuits, filed on behalf of more than 100 plaintiffs who allege that Todd performed medically unnecessary breast, pelvic, and rectal exams for his own sexual gratification. Plaintiffs also claim that following the sexualized exams, which sometimes lasted for 45 minutes or longer, Todd would ask inappropriate and personal questions about his patients’ sex lives. The lawsuits also accuse Brigham and Women’s Hospital and other physician groups where Todd practiced of failing to competently supervise Todd and protect patients.

• In September 2023, the first of what would become several lawsuits was filed against Todd, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and the Charles River Medical Associates in Framingham.

• In September 2023, Todd signed a voluntary agreement with the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Medicine to surrender his license and stop practicing medicine after the medical board was notified of his departure from Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

• In June 2023, Brigham and Women’s Hospital placed Todd on administrative leave following complaints from two other physicians who expressed concerns about Todd’s repeated breast and pelvic examinations. Todd resigned voluntarily after the hospital moved to terminate him at the end of July.

Survivors of Dr. Derrick Todd’s Sexual Abuse Can Seek Justice & Compensation Via Civil Claims

Dr. Derrick Todd is currently under criminal investigation by the Suffolk County DA and Boston Police Department.

And while those criminal matters may develop into criminal charges and potential penalties for Todd, they will not address issues of liability nor provide survivors with any meaningful compensation. Instead, survivors will need to pursue justice and a financial recovery of their damages by filing civil lawsuits.

Fortunately, Massachusetts law allows victims of sexual abuse to file civil lawsuits against abusers and any liable institutions. This may include Brigham and Women’s Faulker Hospital, Charles River Medical Associates, and other physician groups or hospitals that employed Todd.

Do I Have a Case?

You may have grounds to file a civil legal action if:

• You were sexually abused by a doctor or medical staff.
• The abuse occurred at any medical facility.
• You were sexually exploited or abused by someone in a position of power within an organization meant to provide support and care.

Levy Konigsberg represents survivors in civil lawsuits that aim to hold medical facilities and other facility operators accountable for their failures to stop abusive staff members and protect patients.

As civil claims, these cases are separate from any criminal proceedings that may arise from abuse and focus instead on holding institutions liable for damages. This means you may still have a claim even if:

• Your abuser is no longer alive.
• Your abuser was never charged with or convicted of a crime.

Recoverable Damages in Sexual Abuse Claims

In addition to providing accountability and a sense of justice, civil sex abuse lawsuits allow survivors to recover financial compensation for their damages, which may include:

• Past medical and mental health expenses
• Future mental health expenses, including therapy, medications, etc.
• Pain and suffering
• Emotional anguish and psychological harm
• Lost income
• Other economic and non-economic damages

Massachusetts Sexual Abuse Attorneys

In 2015, Massachusetts lawmakers passed groundbreaking legislation to greatly expand the rights of child sexual abuse survivors. Specifically, these legislative amendments gave survivors, whom research has shown can take years or decades to process their abuse and its resulting impact on their lives, far more time to file civil lawsuits than what was previously provided for under the law.

Claims against abusers

Under current Massachusetts law (Chapter 260 § 4C), survivors of child sexual abuse must file civil claims against their abuser within 35 years of the final act of abuse or within 7 years of discovering that they suffered damages as a result of their abuse, whichever is later.

There are two important facts about the law and its application in child sexual abuse cases:

• The statute of limitations can be “tolled” until child victims turn 18, which means that survivors have 35 years from the date they turn 18 to file civil claims.
• The statute contains a “delayed discovery” provision allowing child victims to file claims within 7 years of discovering that they suffered damages due to their abuse. This means that victims may still be eligible to file civil lawsuits even if it has been more than 35 years since their abuse, provided they had not previously discovered the connection between their abuse and resulting damages, which may include addiction, anxiety, depression, and other emotional and psychological injuries.

Claims against others, including organizations responsible for the abuse

A separate Massachusetts law governs claims against persons or entities other than the abuser, such as the operator of a facility who allowed the abuse to occur. Under this law, survivors of child sexual abuse that occurred after June 2014 may file civil claims against persons or entities other than the abuser within 35 years of the final act of abuse. 

The “delayed discovery” rule allowing survivors to file within 7 years of discovering that they suffered damages due to their abuse applies the same as in claims against abusers.

Massachusetts’ current statute of limitations for child sexual abuse survivors provides far more time for survivors to take legal action than the previous law, but advocates and some lawmakers are still pushing to eliminate the statute of limitations entirely in child sexual abuse cases. There is currently a proposed bill (S.1038) that is making its way through the state Legislature that would do just that.

Levy Konigsberg is a prominent law firm known for its expertise in representing victims of sexual abuse by doctors or healthcare workers. With a dedicated team of experienced attorneys, they have successfully handled numerous cases, ensuring that survivors receive the justice and compensation they deserve. If you or a loved one has suffered sexual abuse by a doctor or healthcare worker, Levy Konigsberg offers compassionate and professional legal support to help navigate this challenging time. Their commitment to holding perpetrators accountable makes them a trusted ally in the fight against medical misconduct.