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A pediatric gastroenterologist in Summit has been arrested for allegedly sexually abusing one of his patients repeatedly over a period of several years. 62-year-old Dr. Michael Tyshkov has been charged with second-degree sexual assault and fourth-degree criminal sexual contact.
Police say that between April 2016 and March 2019, Tyshkov sexually assaulted a now 20-year-old female patient who had been seeing Tyshkov for treatment for over a decade. These alleged assaults happened during medical appointments at Tyshkov’s practice, located at the Overlook Medical Center in Summit.
Tyshkov was arrested on Friday and remained in the Union County Jail as of Monday. If convicted on the second-degree charge, he could face five to 10 years in prison.
The prosecutor’s office has asked anyone with information about Tyshkov to contact Special Victims Unit Detective Jennifer Smith at 908-965-3814 or Summit Detective Christopher Medina at 908-273-0051.
Attorney contributor Brian Kent is a former sex crimes prosecutor who now serves as a civil sex abuse survivors lawyer, helping survivors find justice by filing lawsuits. We’ve asked him to share some thoughts on the legal options available to survivors of sexual abuse by doctors and other medical professionals:
Doctors are in positions of trust and authority, as we all trust our doctors to provide us with quality medical care and treat us in a respectful manner. Most doctors are indeed trustworthy and honorable people, but sadly, this is not always the case. In the United States, sexual assault by doctors is a major issue, with incidents reported in all 50 states. The victims of these heinous crimes deserve justice and predatory doctors and those who enable them must be held accountable.
Patients who have been sexually assaulted by medical professionals may have legal recourse through both the criminal and civil justice system. After the assault is reported, the police will handle the investigation and prosecution of the perpetrator. But survivors can also take legal action directly by filing a lawsuit against the doctor and possibly the facility where the assault occurred. For example, if previous allegations of sexual misconduct involving a doctor had been ignored, the hospital where the assault occurred could potentially be held liable in a lawsuit.
If you or someone you love has been sexually assaulted by a doctor or another medical professional, you can learn more about your family’s legal options by speaking to an experienced sexual assault survivors lawyer.
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