Legal Analysis By Attorneys
Breaking Legal News
29-year-old massage therapist Matthew Plotkin was arrested in April for allegedly sexually assaulting a client during a massage at Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spa in Allendale this March. Police say that Plotkin engaged in sexual activity with a customer without their consent.
Plotkin was arrested on April 9 and charged with one count of second-degree sexual assault. The alleged assault happened on March 31, according to Bergen County Prosecutor Dennis Calo.
According to public records, the New Jersey Board of Massage and Bodywork Therapy issued Plotkin a license in October of 2018. This license is active through 2020.
It is not clear whether or not Plotkin is still employed by the business.
Attorney contributor Brian Kent is a former sex crimes prosecutor who now represents survivors of sexual assault in civil lawsuits. Brian has offered to share some general information concerning the legal options of those who have been sexually assaulted by massage therapists:
Sexual assaults involving massage therapists are a nationwide issue. Our attorneys have represented several clients in sexual assault lawsuits against major massage companies like Massage Envy and Hand & Stone. These businesses have a legal duty to ensure the safety of their customers. In some cases, sexual assaults by massage therapists could have been prevented if the company had met this legal duty.
For example, a massage business might be partially responsible for a sexual assault by one of their employees if negligence allowed the assault to occur, such as failing to run a background check before hiring a new employee. In such cases of negligence, victims may have grounds for a lawsuit against the company.
If you or someone you care about has been sexually assaulted by a massage therapist, you can learn more about your legal rights by discussing your case with an experienced sexual assault victims attorney.
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