A doctor whose license to practice in New Jersey was suspended last year after a female patient said he pressured her for sexual favors during plastic surgery procedures is now facing a federal malpractice lawsuit.
Peter V. Driscoll, of Haddonfield, worked at OBJECTIVES Aesthetic & Plastic Surgery in Ridgefield before State authorities suspended his medical license in 2023according to the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs.
On Tuesday, the patient filed a lawsuit against Driscoll and the owners of the business, alleging that Driscoll “engaged in non-consensual sexual intercourse” with her and that management was negligent in hiring him.
A phone number in Driscoll’s name was not in service Thursday, and it was unclear from court records whether he has an attorney. A spokesman for GOALS did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The patient came to the GOALS practice on Broad Avenue in Ridgefield on June 7, 2022, to undergo scheduled abdominal liposuction and a double Brazilian Butt Lift, known as a BBL, according to the complaint filed in U.S. District Court.
During the surgery, Driscoll “intentionally and maliciously sexually harassed, sought and solicited sexual contact with plaintiff, and engaged in non-consensual sexual contact with plaintiff,” the suit alleges.
“While Driscoll was alone with the patient, he allegedly grabbed the patient’s hand and placed it on his thigh while asking her to rub his genitals,” state Attorney General Matthew Platkin said last year. in a notice announcing the suspension of the physician’s license.
“He then asked her to perform other sexual acts, and when she refused, he forced her to continue rubbing his genitals so that she would be ‘motivated’ to complete the procedure,” Platkin said.
The patient reported the assault to police and the doctor’s office the same day, court records show.
The lawsuit alleges that in May 2022, Driscoll had his phone connected to Bluetooth speakers in the operating room and went into the bathroom.
“While in the restroom, the staff listened to sexual pornography from his phone on Bluetooth speakers for an extended period of time,” the lawsuit alleges.
The suit alleges that Driscoll sexually harassed a GOALS employee in May 2022 and that she reported the incident to management, but nothing was done.
Twice in March 2022, Driscoll was accused of leaving a patient alone, one of them in the operating room “for an extended period of time and staff could not locate him”. The other patient was left alone before being discharged, the suit states.
“Following each of these incidents, GOALS did not terminate Driscoll’s employment,” the lawsuit states.
The lawsuit accuses Driscoll of medical malpractice and intentional infliction of emotional distress. The lawsuit also accuses GOALS of failing to properly supervise Driscoll, not having proper insurance, and failing to ensure her doctors had proper insurance.
Before being retained to work at GOALS, Driscoll allegedly had an extensive history of malpractice complaints, license suspensions and discipline in other states, including Texas and California, the lawsuit states.
“Driscoll’s prior charges in California and Texas regarding his licenses and the limits placed on his practice there, including barring him from practicing medicine without the supervision of another physician, were not disclosed to plaintiff or other patients at GOALS,” the lawsuit states.
It was unclear from court records whether Driscoll faces criminal charges in the alleged incident that led to the license suspension and the filing of the federal lawsuit.
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Anthony G. Attrino can be achieved at tattrino@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him to X @TonyAttrino.
