Lawsuit Filed for Alleged Child Sexual Abuse at Hartgrove Hospital

December 12, 2024: It was reported that a new lawsuit has been filed by a man who claims he was sexually abused as a child during his stay at Hartgrove Hospital in Chicago, a facility once operated by Universal Health Services (UHS). The man, identified as “John Doe,” was 11 years old at the time of the alleged abuse. According to his attorneys, Doe is one of nearly 100 former patients who have made similar claims of sexual abuse at UHS facilities across Illinois. These patients are now adults and have filed legal action against UHS, holding the institution accountable for decades of alleged misconduct.

Key Details:

  • Allegations: The lawsuit claims that the staff at Hartgrove Hospital coerced children into engaging in sexual acts, including during group sessions. The abuse allegedly occurred multiple times over a period of months. Some staff reportedly witnessed the abuse but did nothing to intervene.
  • Legal Context: The lawsuit is part of a broader effort to address systemic sexual abuse within UHS facilities, which have previously been the subject of investigations. UHS has faced multiple allegations of mishandling patient safety, particularly regarding vulnerable children.
  • Hospital’s Response: Hartgrove Hospital, now known as Garfield Park Hospital, denies the allegations and intends to defend itself vigorously in court. The hospital’s legal team has emphasized its commitment to patient safety.

Contact Our Law Firm:

Our experienced legal team is dedicated to advocating for survivors of sexual abuse. We offer confidential consultations to discuss your case and explore potential legal avenues.

Sauder Schelkopf is a nationally recognized law firm specializing in sexual abuse litigation, with a proven track record of securing significant settlements and achieving systemic reforms for survivors.

Notable Achievements:

  • University of Southern California (USC) Settlement: The firm, in collaboration with co-counsel, secured a historic $215 million settlement on behalf of female patients of Dr. George Tyndall, a USC gynecologist accused of sexual misconduct since the 1990s. This settlement is among the largest in sex abuse cases and includes provisions for systemic changes in reporting and investigating sexual abuse on campus.
  • Ohio State University (OSU) Litigation: Representing former students and athletes, Sauder Schelkopf is involved in litigation concerning sexual misconduct by Dr. Richard Strauss, a former OSU doctor. In June 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear OSU’s appeal, allowing the case to proceed to trial.
    • As of January 2025, Ohio State University has paid approximately $40.9 million to settle lawsuits from 162 men who alleged sexual abuse by Dr. Richard Strauss, a former team doctor.
    • In June 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear OSU’s appeal, allowing lawsuits brought by alleged sexual abuse victims of Dr. Strauss to proceed.
    • As of October 2023, five lawsuits involving 236 men remained pending.
  • University of Michigan Settlement: The firm achieved a class action settlement against the University of Michigan, resulting in landmark institutional reforms addressing on-campus sexual misconduct.
  • Devereux Advanced Behavioral Health Lawsuit: Sauder Schelkopf filed a lawsuit against Devereux, alleging sexual, physical, and emotional abuse of children in their care. The firm is seeking compensatory and other damages for the victims.
  • Glen Mills Schools Abuse Lawsuit: The firm is representing former students of The Glen Mills Schools, a now-closed detention center, in a class action lawsuit seeking damages for physical and sexual abuse suffered during their time there.

Through these and other cases, Sauder Schelkopf has demonstrated a steadfast commitment to advocating for survivors of sexual abuse, achieving substantial financial settlements, and driving meaningful changes within institutions to prevent future misconduct.

Experience Matters

Sauder Schelkopf has a nationally recognized litigation practice. The firm currently serves as court-appointed lead counsel in courts across the country.  The attorneys at Sauder Schelkopf have recovered over $1 billion on behalf of their clients and class members. Our firm was recognized by the Legal Intelligencer’s 2022 Professional Excellence Awards. The Legal Intelligencer’s Professional Excellence Awards honor Pennsylvania law firms and attorneys who have made a significant, positive impact on the legal profession. Our firm was named in the Litigation Departments of the Year (Specialty Area category; runner-up), an award that honors the best litigation practice in a small or mid-sized firm in Pennsylvania. This recognition was based on the firm’s 2021 litigation work and its important ongoing cases. LawDragon has recognized our attorneys in its list of the “500 Leading Plaintiff Consumer Lawyers” for 2022.  This list notes: “From the opioid epidemic to toxic substances and defective products, truck accidents to wildfires and sexual abuse, these are the lawyers who stand on the front line in individual lawsuits and class actions seeking justice.” Mr. Schelkopf was named to Pennsylvania’s Best Lawyers® 2022 for Class Actions/Mass Tort Litigation. The American Lawyer named Mr. Sauder to its 2021 Northeast Trailblazers. The honor recognizes 60 lawyers who are “truly agents of change.” It “recognizes professionals in the Northeast who have moved the needle in the legal industry.” The Legal Intelligencer named Mr. Sauder and Mr. Schelkopf in its 2020 Pennsylvania Trailblazers list recognizing 31 lawyers who “have taken extra measures to contribute to positive outcomes . . . and who are truly agents of change.” The Legal highlighted the firm’s innovative work on advocacy as class counsel in large institutional sex abuse cover-ups, women’s, and children’s rights. Our attorneys have also consistently been recognized by their peers being named to Pennsylvania SuperLawyer, a distinction held by the top 5% of attorneys in Pennsylvania.  The National Trial Lawyers Association has also selected our attorneys as the Top 100 Trial Lawyers in Pennsylvania.

We Want to Hear from You

If you or someone you know has been a victim of sexual misconduct, you can confidentially contact the lawyers at Sauder Schelkopf by filling out the form on this page or calling 888.711.9975