New suit filed against USC, Tyndall


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Three women are suing USC, former campus gynecologist George Tyndall, the Engemann Student Health Center and Keck Medicine of USC separately from the more than 500 women who are already involved in a class action lawsuit. (Daily Trojan file photo)

Three more victims of former campus gynecologist George Tyndall are suing USC, the Engemann Student Health Center, Keck Medicine of USC and Tyndall, separately from the more than 500 women who are already involved in a class action lawsuit.

The three women allege that USC knew about Tyndall’s abuse and covered it up during the nearly 30 years he worked at Engemann. Several lawsuits have been filed against Tyndall and USC since the Los Angeles Times first reported on the allegations in May 2018. 

On Feb. 12, USC filed an agreement for its $215 million class-action lawsuit, which detailed the amounts that will be distributed to all of Tyndall’s former patients using health center records. 

One of the defendants, named Jane Doe J.L. in the suit, attended USC from 2003 to 2006 and visited Tyndall approximately five times. The suit claims that Tyndall, in order to receive sexual pleasure, performed multiple medically unnecessary gynecological exams on Jane Doe J.L., all without  chaperones present.

According to the suit, Tyndall diagnosed Jane Doe J.L. with HPV, but this diagnosis was never confirmed through further examinations by other doctors. 

Another plaintiff, Jane Doe M.S., attended USC from 2011 to 2014. The suit states that the plaintiff’s pap smear appointment with Tyndall was the first time the plaintiff had visited a gynecologist in the United States, and she did not know what constituted typical gynecological procedures.

“Normally, this routine procedure would take no more than a few minutes,” the lawsuit read. “Instead, Tyndall spent an excessive 30 minutes to complete the pap smear in order to prolong his sexual gratification.”

According to the lawsuit, Tyndall also allegedly asked questions about the plaintiff’s personal life and sexual relationships. 

For plaintiff Jane Doe J.E., who attended USC from 1988 to 1991, Tyndall allegedly took pictures of her nude, which he told her would be used for medical purposes, the lawsuit read. According to the lawsuit, the plaintiff was told she had abnormalities and was encouraged to see Tyndall on multiple other occasions. 

“Subsequent examinations by other doctors have never uncovered the abnormalities Tyndall claimed Plaintiff Jane Doe J.E. had,” the lawsuit read. “[She] was encouraged to return to the Student Health Center only for Tyndall’s sexual gratification.”

In a statement, USC said it is aware of the recent lawsuit; however, the University is prioritizing settling as many cases as possible through the $215 million class action settlement.

“In addition to the monetary relief offered in the settlement, USC continues to make sweeping changes to prevent all forms of misconduct on campus, including establishing an Office of Professionalism and Ethics and an Office of Ombuds Services,” USC wrote.

The suit claims that USC concealed complaints made by female students and knew about his alleged sexual abuse as early as the 1990s. 

The lawsuit alleges that USC never reported Tyndall to the Medical Board of California or law enforcement during his 28 years working at the University. It alleges that Tyndall primarily targeted Chinese students because foreign students would be unaware of typical gynecological practices.