Ragland & Jones, LLP Announces That It Has Filed a Lawsuit in Gwinnett County, Georgia Against a Dentist Who Sexually Molested a Teenaged Female Patient While Providing Dental Care
Ragland & Jones, LLP, an Atlanta law firm dedicated to severe injury and wrongful death litigation, announces it has filed a lawsuit today in the State Court of Gwinnett County, Georgia against an Alpharetta dentist, Frederick C. Chuo, asserting that he sexually molested a 15 year old female patient during a visit to his dental offices located in Dacula, Georgia. According to the lawsuit, in October 2006, the teenaged patient sought dental treatment for two cavities at Dr. Chuo's former practice group where Dr. Chuo worked as a staff dentist. The lawsuit alleges that after administering a local anesthetic, Dr. Chuo was guilty of various sexual misconduct including touching the teen patient’s breasts in an inappropriate manner multiple times. Dr. Chuo, age 29, was arrested on October 10, 2007 by Gwinnett County police and charged with felony sexual battery. On May 6, 2008, after pleading guilty to one felony count of sexual battery and two misdemeanor counts of sexual battery, Dr. Chuo was sentenced to an 18-month prison term plus an additional three and one-half year period of probation. The sentence given by the Honorable H.M. Stark requires that Dr. Chuo register as a sex offender under O.C.G.A. § 42-01-12.
Medical malpractice attorney Evan W. Jones is representing the female patient and her parents. He prepared and filed the lawsuit on behalf of both the teen patient and her parents seeking unspecified compensatory damages, as well as punitive damages because of the Dr. Chuo’s intentional and grievous sexual misconduct. In separate counts, the lawsuit asserts multiple tort claims against Dr. Chuo including civil assault and battery, medical malpractice, breach of fiduciary duties, violations of the Georgia Dental Practice Act (negligence per se), and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
