Updated May 25, 11:45 a.m.
The University of California has signed off on another $374.4 million settlement with 312 plaintiffs who had filed a suit alleging sexual misconduct by a former UCLA Health gynecologist, according to a statement from the academic health system.
The latest in a string of settlements regarding James Heaps, M.D., a practitioner employed at the university for roughly 35 years, now brings the University of California's total payout to nearly $700 million.
These payments together resolve "the vast majority" of the sexual misconduct claims against Heaps, the system said.
"The conduct alleged to have been committed by Heaps is reprehensible and contrary to our values," UCLA Health said in a statement. "We are grateful to all those who came forward, and hope this settlement is one step toward providing some level of healing for the plaintiffs involved."
UCLA Health said that the payment will be covered by its systemwide insurance and risk financing program, with any additional funds pulled from UCLA Health and campus operating revenue. These will not impact the university's teaching research and services, it said.
Heaps was on staff at the university until June 2018 and is alleged in the suits to have subjected thousands of female UCLA Health patients to sexual abuse, sexual battery and emotional distress.
The class-action suits also claim UCLA failed to properly investigate complaints regarding Heaps for several years before he was formally investigated in 2017.
Heaps was indicted in 2021 on 21 felony counts and is scheduled to be tried later this year. He has denied any wrongdoing, according to the Los Angeles Times.
UCLA Health said in its statement that it has taken "substantial action to adopt and implement policies and procedures to prevent, detect and address sexual misconduct" in recent years. Alongside the recommendations of an independent review, the system cited efforts including stronger chaperone policies, "rigorous" background protocols, expanded sexual violence or harassment training for employees and stronger patient feedback mechanisms.
Following “substantial litigation” and the assistance of a private mediator, the University of California has signed off on a $243.6 million settlement regarding a former gynecologist’s alleged sexual harassment of hundreds of women.
The resolution comes less than a year after the courts approved another $73 million settlement regarding the same gynecologist, James Heaps, M.D., affiliated with UC Los Angeles (UCLA), who had been employed at the university for roughly 35 years.
“The conduct alleged to have been committed by Heaps is reprehensible and contrary to the University’s values,” the university said in a statement regarding the settlement. “Our first and highest obligation will always be to the communities we serve, and we hope this settlement is one step toward providing healing and closure for the plaintiffs involved. We admire the courage of the plaintiffs in coming forward and appreciate plaintiffs’ counsel’s commitment to resolving the claims.”
The recently resolved class action includes civil cases filed by 203 plaintiffs against Heaps in Los Angeles Superior Court, according to a joint statement from UCLA and the plaintiffs’ legal counsel.
Heaps was on staff at the university until June 2018 and is alleged in the suits to have subjected thousands of female UCLA Health patients to sexual abuse, sexual battery and emotional distress.
The class-action suits also claim UCLA failed to properly investigate complaints regarding Heaps for several years before he was formally investigated in 2017.
RELATED: USC reaches proposed $240M settlement with women who accused gynecologist of sexual abuse
Heaps left his position at UCLA after the university declined to renew his contract and was arrested in June 2019 with 21 criminal charges of sexual abuse offenses. He has pleaded not guilty to these charges, according to the AP.
“This historic settlement allows these brave women to achieve their litigation goals of accountability and compensation, paving the path for their continued healing,” John C. Manly of Manly, Stewart & Finaldi, the firm representing the plaintiffs, said in a statement. “Instead of unnecessarily inflicting further damage upon these survivors, the [Regents of the University of California] made the decision to resolve these claims for reasonable value, and I would like to recognize those efforts. This should serve as a model for other universities who are facing the same sort of claims.”
UCLA said leadership across the University of California system, UCLA Health and the Arthur Ashe Student Health & Wellness Center “have taken substantial action to address the issues alleged in the litigation, including enhanced policies and procedures to prevent, detect and respond to allegations of sexual misconduct by a clinician. We remain dedicated to taking all necessary steps to ensure our patients’ wellbeing and to maintain the public’s confidence and trust."