Victims Of Merrick Doctor's Sexual Abuse Plan To Sue

A group of women who were sexually abused by a former Long Island pediatrician are planning to sue him under a new New York law.

According to Newsday, dozens of women are planning to sue Stuart Copperman, a former Merrick doctor who lost his license after multiple claims of abuse were made against him. Allegations were made against Copperman back in the 80s, and he was stripped of his medical license in 2000.

Now, the women are looking to file a civil suit against him, thanks to New York's Child Victims Act.

The CVA expands the statute of limitations for victims of child sexual abuse to file claims against their abusers. Previously, victims had up to five years from when they turned 18 to file a claim. But it is often very difficult for sex abuse victims to come forward. The CVA extended the time frame, allowing victims to file suit until they are 55.

The new law also opened a one-year window for abuse survivors to file suit against their abusers if they were barred from doing so previously by the statute of limitations.

It's this grace window that the survivors of Copperman are using to file suit.

You can read more about the women's plan to sue at Newsday.