Lawsuit Accuses Former West Penn Hospital Employee Of Secretly Filming Coworkers And Patients
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - West Penn Hospital is facing a class action lawsuit over alleged secret recordings of patients and employees, allegedly taken by a former employee who is now facing charges.
Attorneys representing female victims captured in a secret recordings inside West Penn Hospital shared details at a news conference Thursday morning about the class action lawsuit that was just filed.
They say their female victims are "humiliated and mortified," and they've lost all faith and trust in the medical industry.
The three attorneys, representing female victims, say cameras were hidden in two rooms, allegedly to record employees and patients. One in an exam room and another in a unisex employee restroom.
"In a clandestine manor, we believe taped to a chair and this camera recorded multiple employees," attorney Michael Zagari, of Zagari & Associates, said.
The lawsuit alleges it was done by Guy Caley, who is facing dozens of criminal charges in the case. In total, there were 34 patients and 21 employees captured on video, mainly in the radiology department, the lawsuit says. But the attorneys admit, that number could be much higher.
"Based upon the fact that this camera and other cameras within West Penn Hospital over at least a two-year period, it is reasonable to assume that there are multiple other individuals who had their picture taken," attorney Rob Peirce, with Robert Peirce & Associates, said.
The lawsuit also says Caley downloaded the video footage on his personal computer.
According to the lawsuit, many of the recordings were done in the MRI room with women, partially naked.
"You have that unknown thought in your mind of, 'Am I on the internet? Is my image being sold? Is my image and video being traded amongst other people?'" attorney Joseph Charlton, of Charlton Law, said.
The lawsuit shows that the female victims are seeking damages, but they're also requesting changes made inside the hospital. They say updated procedures and protocols need to be in place.
"A business, and especially, a hospital where people are changing in intimate settings due to medical treatment the hospital has to protect those individuals," said Peirce.
KDKA reached out to West Penn Hospital and Allegheny Health Network when the lawsuit first came out. They had no comment.
