Proposed $21M settlement reached in class action lawsuit against Ottawa doctor who pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting patients

Dr. Vincent Nadon pleaded guilty in December 2018 to 14 sexual assault and voyeurism charges relating to 49 victims.

Lawyers representing a class action against a former Ottawa doctor who pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting dozens of patients say a proposed $21-million settlement has been reached.

The lawsuit concerns the actions of Dr. Vincent Nadon, who worked at the University of Ottawa Health Services clinic. Nadon pleaded guilty in 2018 to 14 sexual assault and voyeurism charges involving 49 victims and was sentenced to seven years in prison. He was granted full parole in July 2021.

A class action was launched in 2018 against Nadon, the University of Ottawa, and the clinic where he worked. It was initially seeking $210 million, and was later updated to $500 million in 2021, when the class action was certified.

In a news release Wednesday, class counsel Flaherty McCarthy LLP said a proposed $21-million settlement had been reached.

“The class action, commenced in 2018, has been vigorously litigated for over seven years. It was brought on behalf of former patients who were sexually assaulted by Dr. Nadon, and in many cases secretly photographed or filmed without their knowledge. The University of Ottawa and the University of Ottawa Health Services do not admit any wrongdoing,” the news release said.

University of Ottawa spokesperson Jesse Robichaud said in a statement, “The University and the other parties to the class action agreed to a negotiated settlement which, if approved by the court, will provide financial compensation to eligible class members. The proposed settlement is not an admission of liability or wrongdoing by the University. We will have no additional comment as this matter remains before the court.”

The settlement has yet to be approved. It will come before the Ontario Superior Court of Justice in Ottawa on Sept. 8, the news release says. If approved, it will provide financial compensation to eligible class members, including all patients of the clinic who were photographed or filmed by Nadon in a private setting, without their consent or knowledge, or who were sexually assaulted by him.

Anyone seeking more information about the proposed settlement, the claims process, or the upcoming court hearing are encouraged to visit www.drnadonclassaction.com or contact Flaherty McCarthy LLP at [e-mail].

Class members who wish to object to the settlement must send a written objection to [e-mail] no later than 5 p.m. Aug. 29.