In May 2019, five former patients of pediatrician Dr. Johnnie Barto came forward with a lawsuit against him, Conemaugh Health Systems and Laurel Pediatrics for sexual assault crimes against child patients. These were the first civil lawsuits against Barto after he was convicted of 69 counts of indecent assault, indecent aggravated assault and child endangerment.
If you are a survivor of doctor sexual abuse by Dr. Johnnie Barto, contact us immediately. Manly, Stewart & Finaldi is one of the nation’s leading sexual abuse and assault law firms. We are passionate about helping survivors and offer free and confidential consultations.
Why Choose Us to Represent You?
- We have decades of experience handling sexual abuse and assault cases against physicians, pediatricians, gynecologists and other medical professionals.
- Our results speak for themselves, with multiple doctor sexual abuse lawsuits in our firm’s history that have broken records. We are passionate about the pursuit of justice.
- We understand your concern for your personal safety. Our attorneys can maintain total anonymity and confidentiality during your case, if desired.
Do You Have a Case of Doctor Sexual Abuse?
Doctor sexual abuse is a sex crime committed by a medical professional, where the practitioner engages in sexually inappropriate, abusive or violent actions or behaviors toward a patient. Doctor sexual abuse uses a physician’s position of trust and power over a patient to harass, assault or take advantage of the patient. Examples of doctor sexual abuse include:
- Fondling, groping or molesting a patient during a physical exam
- Conducting unnecessary exams or procedures
- Inappropriately touching sexual organs during an exam
- Forcing a patient to change in front of the doctor
- Exposing the doctor’s sexual organs to a patient
- Asking a patient out on a date
Any type of sexual behavior from a doctor toward a patient is unethical and against the law. If you believe you are a survivor of sexual harassment, assault or abuse by a doctor – including Dr. Johnnie Barto – you have rights. You may have grounds to bring a civil lawsuit against the perpetrator as well as the institutions that allowed the abuse to continue.
The Case Against Dr. Barto
Dr. Johnnie “Jack” Barto was a pediatrician in Pennsylvania who was convicted of 69 counts of sex crimes against children and sentenced to up to 158 years in prison at the age of 71. After his conviction, several of his victims came forward to file civil lawsuits against Barto and the institutions that perpetuated the abuse, including Barto’s employers: Laurel Pediatric Associates and the Conemaugh Memorial Medical Center.
The lawsuits against the employers allege that they knew or reasonably should have known of Barto’s sexually inappropriate actions and behaviors from complaints from patients’ parents, yet did nothing to remedy the issue, such as reporting the abuse to the authorities or terminating Barto’s employment. The original lawsuit stated that the collective silence of various individuals connected to Barto’s employment continuously endangered the welfare of children.
Unfortunately, many of Barto’s victims are now adults who are past Pennsylvania’s statute of limitations on child sexual abuse civil lawsuits. For this reason, they and their attorneys are pushing for legislative change with SB 540, which would eliminate the criminal and civil statutes of limitations for sexual abuse. It would also provide a two-year window for survivors to reinstate civil claims that had previously expired.
Contact Manly, Stewart & Finaldi for Assistance Today
If you or a loved one is a survivor of sexual abuse by Dr. Barto or another pediatrician, contact Manly, Stewart & Finaldi for a free consultation right away. You may be entitled to financial compensation. Although we know that no amount of money can make up for the suffering that you endured as a survivor, we hope that a lawsuit can bring you justice, closure and greater peace of mind. Contact us today to speak to one of our renowned sexual abuse attorneys about your situation.
