Eisenhower Health to pay $4M to former doctor in COVID safety lawsuit
Jesus Reyes
RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif. (KESQ) – Eisenhower Health is set to pay $4 million to a former doctor who said he was forced out in 2020 for raising concerns about COVID safety, and retaliation for reporting discriminatory behavior.
“Its impact on Dr. Loftus was profound and life-altering. Defendants’ argument that “there is no evidence that EMC or EMA had advance knowledge of the unfairness of the employee acting against Dr. Loftus and employed him with a conscious disregard of the rights and safety of others” is belied by the overwhelming weight of the evidence and the previously detailed findings of the Referee,” reads the resolution by Judge Michael Latin.
Eisenhower Medical Associates, a co-defendant in the case, was not ordered to pay damages.
Loftus said he first warned Loftus to hospital leadership in February 2020 about the potential for a local COVID-19 outbreak in the region.
“This case was about the dozens of people at Eisenhower who worked with me, who had concerns about patient and worker safety, and also had concerns about a culture of bullying,” Loftus told News Channel 3’s John White in July.
Loftus said the bullying came in the form of discriminatory and misogynistic treatment.
Earlier this year, a retired judge awarded $1.6 million after ruling on the case.
News Channel 3 anchor John White investigated the case, speaking with Loftus after the ruling. Check out his report below: