Class Action against UNB and Student Health Centre Psychiatrist Discontinued in favour of Mass Tort Lawsuit
FREDERICTON, NEW BRUNSWICK – Valent Legal and Moss Hachey Law filed a proposed class action lawsuit with the Court of King’s Bench of New Brunswick, Trial Division, in the Judicial District of Fredericton, in April of 2021. The lawsuit was filed against the University of New Brunswick and Dr. Manoj Bhargava on behalf of a group of students who allege to have been sexually assaulted by Dr. Bhargava while receiving mental health services through the UNB Student Health Centre. The lawsuit alleges that UNB, and its employees, were negligent by failing to properly protect the students accessing their health care services. It further alleges that Dr. Bhargava was medically negligent by subjecting the student class members to sexual assault.
This proposed class action is now being discontinued to allow these former patients to come together in a mass tort lawsuit. They have made this decision for two reasons:
Several individuals were unable to join the class action because they had been seen by Dr. Bhargava outside of the University of New Brunswick Student Health Centre. The mass tort lawsuit will additionally name external clinics as Defendants.
A mass tort lawsuit is more efficient and will bring a quicker resolution to the claims.
“We are confident that access to justice will be achieved for more people by proceeding as a mass tort lawsuit”, says Mike Dull, co-counsel for the plaintiffs.
Please contact Erika Hachey at Moss Hachey Law, or Mike Dull at Valent Legal, if you wish to be involved in the mass tort lawsuit. Those who have already signed up for the class action and now wish to be a part of the mass tort must contact counsel again. Those who were previously excluded from the class action, who were patients of Dr. Bhargava at clinics external to UNB, can now contact counsel to become part of the mass tort. It is important that all persons wishing to be involved reach out immediately, as all names must be known to counsel before the lawsuit can move forward.
For media interviews, please contact Mike Dull, co-counsel for the Plaintiffs, at mike@valentlegal.ca or 902-443-4488, or Erika Hachey, co-counsel for the Plaintiffs, at erika.hachey@mosshacheylaw.com or 506-449-7544.
About Moss Hachey Law: Moss Hachey law is a New Brunswick personal injury and insurance law firm servicing clients throughout Atlantic Canada. Areas of practice include personal injury, long-term disability, property damage, estate disputes, and sexual abuse. For a complete list of services, please visit www.mosshacheylaw.com
About Valent Legal: Valent Legal is a Halifax personal injury and insurance law firm servicing clients throughout Atlantic Canada. Areas of practice include class actions, sexual abuse, motor vehicle accidents, long-term disability, and medical malpractice. For a complete list of services, please visit www.valentlegal.ca.