Jury awards $300 million to 3 women for alleged sexual abuse by Virginia doctor

A jury has ruled in favor of three women who claimed they were sexually abused while patients at a Virginia children’s hospital, awarding them a total of $300 million in damages.

The jury in Richmond Circuit Court on Friday awarded each woman $60 million in compensatory damages and $40 million in punitive damages, WTVR-TV reported.

A total of 46 former patients sued Cumberland Hospital for Children and Adolescents in New Kent, which treats vulnerable children, and Dr. Daniel Davidow, the hospital’s longtime medical director. In this first lawsuit, the three former patients alleged that Davidow inappropriately touched them during femoral pulse examinations.

“Having a group of people — a group of strangers — look at them, listen to them, tell them that I believe them, that I believe in them, it broke them down, it immediately made them cry,” Kevin Biniazan said , the women’s advocate. “It makes us all cry.”

Davidow’s attorney, Bob Donnelly, told the jury in opening statements that Davidow “unequivocally denies” the allegations of sexual assault. Donnelly said the femoral pulse exam performed by Davidow dates back to the 1960s and 1970s and is a “standard exam.”

Davidow was acquitted of sexual abuse charges against two other former patients after a criminal trial in April.

The next civil trial is scheduled for March.

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