U of M Physician Targeted Several Groups – Part I – Athletes

Grewal Law is part of the Anderson Survivors Legal Team, which represents over 100 survivors of Robert Anderson’s sexual abuse.   Many aspects of the Robert Anderson cases are similar to the tragic Larry Nassar cases, but some aspects are unique.

Anderson worked for the University of Michigan in multiple capacities, and in addition to his actual U of M positions, his U of M affiliation gave him avenues to prey on people who were not affiliated with the University of Michigan.  According to reports, Anderson assaulted males and females, minors and adults, members of the gay community and straight community, numerous U of M athletes who were required to see him, and employees whose employers required his physicals.  We represent survivors who were assaulted during every decade that Anderson practiced: the 60’s, 70’s, 80’s, 90’s and 2000’s.

ANDERSON PERFORMED THE MANDATORY PHYSICALS THAT STUDENT ATHLETES NEEDED.

Anderson was a U of M “athletic medicine” physician and “team doctor.”  In these roles, it appears he examined and treated U of M athletes from just about every sport.  We represent clients who were assaulted while seeing Anderson as required for the following sports:  football, swimming, wrestling, track, diving and golfing.  Anderson also examined and treated teenagers at a wresting camp for Team Michigan, allegedly abusing at least one teenager, who we represent.

According to numerous reports, Anderson’s need to touch the genitalia and have all patients “drop their drawers” no matter what the ailment (i.e., elbow, rib or ankle injury, eye exam, sore throat) was commonly spoken about among athletes and U of M officials, such as athletic trainers and coaches.  In addition to Anderson fondling patients’ genitalia and penetrating their anal regions with his ungloved finger, he would ask his patients to do things such as jog in place naked, lie on the exam table naked with feet in stirrups for prostate “exams,” and perform prostate “exams” that would last upward of 10 minutes.  It has also been reported to us that Anderson would ask patients to participate in “research studies” that involved sitting in “masturbation circles.”

Our team has filed over 25 Court of Claims Notices, which are notices that are legally required when suing a state of Michigan entity, such as a university.  The Notices are filed on behalf of each individual survivor, and their purpose is to put U of M and its regents on notice that they will be sued.  Some survivors have chosen to be public, but most have chosen to remain anonymous, and will be referred to as a Jane or John Doe in the filings.

In our next blog on this topic, we will look at other groups Anderson targeted during his time affiliated with U of M.

DEDICATED REPRESENTATION IN SEX ABUSE CLAIMS

Grewal Law represented a third of the first-wave plaintiffs in the MSU and Larry Nassar lawsuits, and the Grewal team was instrumental in obtaining the half a billion-dollar settlement from MSU. Currently, the award-winning lawyers at Grewal Law are fighting to hold USAG and USOC accountable for their roles in allowing Larry Nassar’s sexual abuse to occur. Our attorneys at Grewal Law understand what it takes to prevail against sexual predators and the companies that allow their sexual misconduct to occur.

Please contact our firm’s experienced attorneys at (888) 227-4770 or contact us here for a free and 100% confidential consultation. We’re available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to help you.