Dr. David H. Broadbent Lawsuit Update

The original lawsuit filed against Broadbent was in Provo, Utah. The first lawsuits were filed with the 4th District Court in early 2022.

According to court documents, more than 100 victims came forward.

Those who filed suit were all victims of Broadbent’s sexual abuse.

In his medical offices in various healthcare institutions and in his physician’s private clinic, he frequently examined young women and took advantage of their unfamiliarity with OBGYN appointments to abuse them.

Broadbent performed various heinous acts under the guise of medical care, from digital sodomy to physical examinations with ungloved hands.

Many of the victims had little to no experience with an OB-GYN. Using their inexperience, Broadbent sexually abused them under the guise of providing necessary medical care.

Some of these women reported the abuse before seeking legal representation.

Besides reporting their abuse to the National Sexual Assault Hotline, many of them also went to the Provo Police Department.

Unfortunately, efforts to quickly convict and place Broadbent behind bars early were hindered as the Provo Police Department took no action.

Also, the 4th District Court dismissed the sexual abuse claims made by Broadbent’s victims.

Fourth District Judge Robert C. Lunnen, who made the ruling, said that the fact Braodbent was a doctor signals that this case falls under the Utah Health Care Malpractice Act and not applicable laws governing sexual assault.

Under the Utah medical malpractice act, claims that allege a health care worker committed sexual assault are considered medical malpractice only due to the fact that the assault occurred in a medical facility.

These outdated laws and rulings are being challenged by lawyers representing victims of Broadbent.

Women sexually abused by Broadbent are appealing the decision to the Utah Supreme Court, and lawmakers are considering changes to the laws that led to the dismissal of the case.

Where Did David Broadbent Work?

David Broadbent worked as an OBGYN in several Utah area hospitals and clinics, opening an independent physician’s private clinic later in his career.

The hospitals and clinics David H Broadbent worked include the following:

• Utah Valley Hospital (operated by Intermountain Healthcare)
• Timpanogos Hospital (Operated by MountainStar Healthcare)
• Broadbent’s office (1355 N University Ave #130, Provo, UT 84604) near Utah Valley University

The 2022 dismissal of the sexual assault cases filed against Broadbent led to massive appeals made by the lawyers representing the victims.

According to the 4th District Court ruling, the nature of Broadbent’s crimes — though heinous and horrifying — weren’t those of sexual abuse.

Invoking the Utah Healthcare Malpractice Act, the judge explained that because the sexual abuse occurred in a hospital setting and in the hands of a health care professional, the lawsuits should have been filed as medical malpractice claims.

The ruling placed victims and their legal representatives in a stalemate.

Nevertheless, the fight to hold Broadbent and his employers liable for the decades of sexual abuse experienced by countless women is not over.

The case against David Broadbent resulted in the changing of the Utah Medical Malpractice Act, with the Utah Legislature passing a bill (pending a signature from Governor Cox) that would reform the law to exclude sexual assault.

Serial sexual abusers never work alone and influential organizations, such as those Broadbent was employed by, have routinely escaped responsibility for their role in enabling sexual abuse.

Attorneys and their victims are fighting to hold Broadbent and his employers accountable, and further legal action will be taken.

Reach out to TruLaw for more information and to find out if you qualify to file a sexual abuse lawsuit against Broadbent and his employers.

Broadbent Surrendered His Medical License Pending Investigations

Despite the roadblocks in holding Broadbent and his employers liable for years of sexual abuse, sexual assault, and sexual misconduct, lawyers and plaintiffs are still fighting for justice.

Amidst the investigations, Broadbent has surrendered his medical license to the Utah Health Department of Occupational and Professional Licensing.

By relinquishing his license, he is unable to practice medicine in healthcare institutions or privately.

Sexual abuse is most commonly treated as a serious criminal offense in many states.

In many states, new laws have been implemented that allow civil lawsuits for sexual assault to be filed in new time frames.

However, in Utah, sexual assault can be both a criminal offense and the basis for a civil dispute between the survivor and the assailant — in this case, the victims and Broadbent.

In addition to pursuing criminal charges, victims can file a civil lawsuit or engage in out-of-court negotiations, often referred to as a settlement.

This allows the two parties or their legal representatives to reach a legally binding agreement without going through the lengthy and expensive process of trial.

In a civil lawsuit, the sexual assault survivor can agree to not sue the assailant. The victim may also retract a pending lawsuit.

In exchange, the victim can seek various forms of reparation from the assailant.

These reparations could include financial compensation, acknowledgment of wrongdoing, implementation of preventive measures, or other mutually agreed-upon terms.

Unlike criminal cases, civil lawsuits for sexual abuse in Utah have a fixed statute of limitations.

Statutes of limitations are like timeframes, within which victims can file their sexual abuse claims.

In Utah, the statute of limitations for a civil sexual abuse case is four years. This means that you have four years to file a civil suit against Broadbent.

The dismissals of sexual abuse lawsuits filed against Broadbent and his employers have opened the public’s eyes to the challenges faced by victims seeking justice.

Court dismissals were based on the premise that Broadbent’s crimes do not count as sexual abuse cases but are considered medical malpractice cases.

The classification of Broadbent’s sexual crimes as medical malpractice cases has serious implications for the victims and their legal representatives.

Statute of Limitations for Sexual Abuse in Utah

Civil sexual assault lawsuits have a statute of limitations of four years in Utah. This means that victims have four years to file their sexual abuse lawsuits against their assailants.

The four-year period covers every step of the civil suit process, from the discovery phase to the trial. By comparison, medical malpractice lawsuits have a shorter statute of limitations.

In Utah, medical malpractice claims have a statute of limitations of just two years.

Filed as medical malpractice lawsuits, sexual abuse claims against Broadbent will be eligible for just two years.

This puts pressure on attorneys to hasten their efforts in litigating the former Provo OB-GYN.

To make matters worse, lawyers need to follow Utah’s procedures for filing medical malpractice lawsuits.

Utah’s procedures add to the time crunch of bringing Broadbent to justice.

Though statute of limitations are established for both medical malpractice lawsuits and sexual assault lawsuits in Utah, there may be factors that allow for victims to file suit outside of the statute of limitations.

Contact our attorneys for more information.

Sexual predators operating in institutional settings like hospitals and other medical services have one thing in common — they’ve sexually assaulted women for years.

They have done this with the enablement of the institutions they work for. Broadbent’s case is no different.

Based on investigations into Broadbent’s treatment and abuse of female patients, the former Intermountain Healthcare OB-GYN has sexually assaulted patients for more than five decades since 1979.

Broadbent was an OB-GYN in three notable Utah hospitals. Besides Utah Valley Hospital, Broadbent also practiced as an OB-GYN at Intermountain Healthcare and Mountainstar Healthcare.

How Medical Institutions Cover Up Sexual Abuse of Patients

Powerful institutions may resort to various tactics to discredit victims and protect themselves from liability.

Tactics from hospitals range from lowball settlements by hospital legal departments to unfulfilled promises that the situation will be handled.

One example of the latter in the case of David Broadbent’s sexual abuse was when Intermountain Healthcare’s chief medical officer promised a victim he would take action but did nothing.

Some plaintiffs have even experienced gaslighting from the healthcare facilities mentioned in the David Broadbent Lawsuit.

One instance involved Mountainstar Healthcare telling a patient that there has never been any inappropriate conduct reported involving Broadbent.

The Heinous Truth Behind the Institutional Cover-ups

Actions to discredit victims or cover up abuse point to one inevitable truth: institutions enabled Broadbent’s sexually inappropriate misconduct.

This is why Broadbent was able to abuse women for as long as he has.

By tolerating Broadbent’s crimes, these institutions are complicit.

By failing to take action against Broadbent, these institutions may be held liable for negligent supervision.

Also, institutions that discredited their victims may also be accountable for their intentional infliction of emotional distress and psychological agony.

A predatory and discredited health care professional like Broadbent doesn’t deserve to get away with what he did.

Victims are encouraged to secure legal representation and file suit to bring Broadbent and responsible institutions to justice.

Bringing those responsible to justice can be an uphill battle — but it does not need to be.

If you or a loved one suffered any form of sexual abuse, sexual misconduct, or sexual assault during an appointment at David Broadbent’s office, you may be eligible to file a lawsuit and seek compensation for what you’ve experienced.

Contact TruLaw for a free and confidential consultation.

You can also use the confidential chatbot on this page to find out if you qualify to file a sexual abuse lawsuit instantly.

We are here to support you through this difficult time and to provide the best legal representation possible in order to bring abusers and the institutions who enable abusers to justice.

Contact us for more information.