Childhood Abuse Survivors File Suit Against Loma Linda University Medical Center and Seventh Day Adventist Church

The Zalkin Law Firm has filed a lawsuit in the San Bernardino Superior Court against Loma Linda University Medical Center and the Seventh Day Adventist Church supervisory organizations whose employee, a child psychiatrist, sexually abused three minors. These children were entrusted to the care of Dr. Edward T. Himeno at the medical center to receive therapeutic services; instead, they were horrifically abused on multiple occasions.

AB 218 Allows More Victims to Seek Justice

California’s new statute of limitations, AB 218, has granted childhood sexual abuse victims (regardless of their current age) three years to revive claims that expired in terms of the state’s prior statute of limitations. Thus, The Zalkin Law Firm’s clients, who are now in their 60s, are finally able to file suit for the abuse they were subjected to in the 1970s when they were only children. This trauma has caused them 50 years of emotional distress, loss of self-esteem, humiliation, loss of enjoyment of life, and feelings of disgrace.

Allegations Claim Dr. Edward T. Himeno Abused Multiple Children

The Zalkin Law Firm is steadfast in our support of our plaintiffs’ allegations that they were sexually abused by the late Dr. Edward T. Himeno, the former Director of Child Psychiatry at Loma Linda University Medical Center.

This terrible abuse began before the plaintiffs even reached their teenage years. Plaintiff Robert Jones was abused by Himeno from ages 11 to 12, as well as for several years thereafter, during therapy sessions in the doctor’s office and at his home. Similarly, Himeno abused Plaintiff George Angel between ages 9 and 11 also at the medical center and his home. Plaintiff Richard Stanford was only 7 years old when he was first abused by Himeno during a therapy session. He was abused again on multiple occasions until he was 8 years old.

Loma Linda University Medical Center’s Role in the Suit

Each of these children initially became a patient of Himeno through the Loma Linda University Medical Center. Attorney Irwin Zalkin prepared the complaint in which the Plaintiffs allege that the medical center was aware, or should have been aware, of the child psychiatrist’s abusive treatment of his young patients. Furthermore, the failure on the part of the medical center and its supervisory organization, the Seventh Day Adventist Church, to intervene in Himeno’s predatory actions allowed him to potentially sexually abuse “hundreds of other children during his career.”

The lawsuit explains how Plaintiff George Angel claims would cry loudly in pain while being abused in Himeno’s office, and he had reason to believe that the receptionist could hear him, though nothing was ever done to assist the young boy. In addition to seeing the Plaintiffs for therapy sessions in his office, the child psychiatrist would take these underage patients on outings from the office, even to his own home, which should have set off alarm bells at the medical center and the Seventh Day Adventist Church.

The lawsuit filed by The Zalkin Law Firm is pursuing five Causes of Action in this complaint against the medical center and its advisory board:

• Negligence
• Failure to warn
• Negligent hiring/retention
• Sexual battery
• Sexual harassment

The lawsuit demands a jury by trial for these brave survivors of childhood sexual assault and abuse to bring them justice, as well as the closure they so vitally need and deserve.

Empowering Survivors of Sexual Abuse

At The Zalkin Law Firm, our attorneys have fought for hundreds of sexual abuse and assault survivors. We have been involved in groundbreaking suits against powerful corporations, including the Boy Scouts of America, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and the Catholic Church. Our attorneys were involved in settling almost $200 million for myriad sexual abuse victims of the Roman Catholic Bishop of San Diego — and that is only one example of our success.

Currently, we are pursuing cases on behalf of childhood abuse survivors who have been granted a window of time under the Child Victims Act (until January 2021 in New York and 3 years from January 1, 2020 in California) to file suits under AB 218. These new laws have opened the path to justice for victims who were prevented from seeking justice by the previous statute of limitations. We know it can seem unimaginably terrifying to fight for your rights against your childhood abuser, but when you are ready to do so, The Zalkin Law Firm’s experienced, compassionate attorneys will stand by your side.

We invite you to contact The Zalkin Law Firm online to schedule a confidential consultation.