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At Lanier Law Group, P.A., our premier North Carolina lawyers are pursuing cases concerning childhood sexual abuse allegations against Dr. Melvin D. Levine (now deceased). We have filed suit on behalf of 6 victims of Levine, who allegedly used his position as a nationally known pediatrician to sexually abuse young male patients. Reports of such abuse date back to at least 1966.
In the lawsuits filed thus far, we support our clients in their allegations that the following defendants either knew or should have known about Levine’s abhorrent and depraved behavior:
- The University of North Carolina (UNC) Health Care System
- UNC at Chapel Hill
- UNC School of Medicine
- UNC Medical Center
- UNC Physicians and Associates
- UNC Faculty Physicians
- N.C. Memorial Hospital
If you or someone you love has been the victim of abuse by Levine, you may have the right to hold these institutions accountable for covering up Levine’s abuse.
Decades of Abuse and Cover-Ups
In 2011, Levine died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to his head just a day after he was hit with a class action child sex abuse lawsuit, as reported by The New York Times.
The class action suit alleged that, between 1966 and 1985, Levine had abused 40 boys under his care at Children’s Hospital Boston. Each plaintiff claimed Levine had performed unnecessary genital exams, groped, fondled, and/or performed oral sex on them as kids.
Although the suit was filed in 2011, Levine had moved to North Carolina in 1985. Per the Times, some in Boston believed Levine had moved states to escape allegations of child sex abuse. It wasn’t long until similar allegations were made against him in North Carolina.
However, every time Levine’s victims and their parents attempted to report an instance of abuse, medical staff ignored them. Levine was able to continue his alleged perverted practice for 22 years.
As time went on, Levine roped in more victims with his book, “A Mind at a Time,” and a PBS documentary, “Misunderstood Minds.” He even became a “leading advocate for children with learning disabilities,” as the Times reported.
Some of Lanier Law Group, P.A.’s clients, for example, went to Levine for help with their own learning disabilities, such as dyslexia and attention-deficit disorder or ADD (now known as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD). Others went for physical examinations.
In 2009, the North Carolina Medical Board received child sex abuse complaints from five pediatric patients. Levine was forced to permanently surrender his medical license. He was barred from applying for a reinstatement and stripped of the right to practice in other counties. But it was too late. According to his own claims, Levine had treated more than 15,000 patients in his time as a pediatrician.
Compassionate Counsel for Child Sex Abuse Survivors
At Lanier Law Group, P.A., we have supported and advocated for survivors since 1997. We are proud to stand up to the institutions that protected Levine, fighting to win our clients justice and closure. If you were among those harmed by Levine, there is still time to speak up.
We understand how hard it can be to open up about sexual abuse, and we do everything in our power to make it easier to do so. When you need us, we are right here.In a free, confidential consultation, our caring North Carolina attorneys will discuss your case. There are absolutely no strings attached.
Let us stand up for you. Call (855) 757-4204 or contact us online to get started.