Neshandra Hill-Griffin vs. Dr. Walter Ellis

Case Background

On June 29, 2019, Plaintiff Neshandra Hill-Griffin filed a Medical malpractice lawsuit in the  Louisiana State, Orleans Parish Civil Court (Case number: 1:19cv12176). Judge Nicole D. Shepard presided over the case.

Cause

Neshandra Hill-Griffin sustained injuries in a car accident and sought treatment from Dr. Walter Ellis, a physiatrist specializing in sports medicine. Initially, Ellis treated Hill-Griffin’s low-back injury with injections at his Metairie office. He later began making house calls, administering injections at her home. After a fire destroyed Hill-Griffin’s residence, she relocated to a Holiday Inn in New Orleans East, where Ellis continued her treatment. Over four years, Ellis visited Hill-Griffin at the hotel on weekends, injecting her with pain medications, including Toradol, Lidocaine, and steroids. Following these treatments, they engaged in sexual activities, a pattern that continued until June 2019, when their relationship ended.

Injuries

Hill-Griffin claimed significant emotional injuries due to Dr. Ellis’s actions. She alleged that his conduct, which intertwined medical treatment with sexual activity, caused her psychological harm. Hill-Griffin contended that this misconduct exacerbated her pre-existing history of sexual abuse, leading to further emotional distress and trauma. She asserted that the combination of receiving medical treatment and engaging in sexual activity with her doctor created a harmful and confusing situation that aggravated her past traumas. Despite the Medical Review Panel’s initial finding of no evidence of injury, Hill-Griffin maintained that she experienced real and quantifiable emotional harm from Ellis’s actions, which formed the basis of her claim for damages in the medical malpractice lawsuit.

Damages

At trial, she sought damages for these emotional injuries, arguing that Ellis’s breach of professional boundaries and exploitation of the doctor-patient relationship inflicted lasting psychological damage.

Key Arguments and Proceedings

Legal representation

  • Plaintiff(s): Neshandra Hill-Griffin
    • Counsel for Plaintiff: Glenn C. McGovern |Andrew Maberry
  • Defendant(s): Walter Ellis
    • Counsel for Defendants: Pedro Galeas

 Claims

Neshandra Hill-Griffin filed three claims against Defendant in a Medical Malpractice lawsuit:

Standard of Care Violation: The Medical Review Panel concluded that Dr. Ellis violated the standard of care, a critical element in establishing medical malpractice.

Doctor-Patient Relationship: Ethical guidelines strictly prohibit sexual relationships between doctors and patients due to the power imbalance and potential for exploitation, generally considered a breach of professional ethics.

Consent: While Ellis argued that the relationship was consensual, the ethics of consent in a doctor-patient relationship are complicated by inherent power dynamics.

Defense

Dr. Walter Ellis  denied any fault in the medical malpractice lawsuit brought by Neshandra Hill-Griffin. He asserted that the sexual relationship was entirely consensual, implying both parties willingly participated in the intimate encounters. Additionally, he maintained that his medical practice, including administering injections in Hill-Griffin’s hotel room, met the required standard of care. Ellis argued that the location of treatment did not compromise the quality or appropriateness of the medical care he provided. Finally, he contended that Hill-Griffin had not suffered any damages as a result of their relationship or his medical treatment. Ellis’s defense strategy aimed to counter Hill-Griffin’s allegations of professional misconduct and emotional harm, presenting their interactions as a consensual relationship separate from his provision of medical care, which he claimed was both proper and non-injurious.

Jury Verdict

On September 19, 2024, the jury determined that Hill-Griffin lacked the capacity to consent to the sexual relationship with Ellis, which resulted in damages to her. They concluded that the events exacerbated her pre-existing mental health issues. In assessing damages, the jury awarded no compensation for battery. However, they granted Hill-Griffin $75,000 for past mental anguish and an additional $75,000 for future mental anguish. The total verdict amounted to $150,000 in favor of Hill-Griffin in this medical malpractice lawsuit.

Court Documents:

Available Upon Request