Judge Dismisses Claims in Pediatrician Abuse Suit

DOVER, Del. AP- A judge has dismissed claims against three fellow doctors in a lawsuit filed by alleged victims of pediatrician Earl Bradley.

In a ruling made public this week, the judge also granted partial dismissal of claims against the Medical Society of Delaware and two of its representatives, saying the plaintiffs have failed to show that those defendants had any duty to protect Bradley's patients from abuse.

But the judge refused to dismiss allegations that some defendants associated with the medical society had committed to undertake a duty to protect Bradley's patients and thus could be expected to discharge that duty with reasonable care.

He also left the door open for plaintiffs to file amended complaints claiming negligence by the three individual doctors, who at various times were colleagues of Bradley.

Last year, Bradley was sentenced to 14 life sentences without parole for 14 counts of first-degree rape. The Lewes-based pediatrician was also sentenced to more than 160 years in prison for multiple counts of assault and sexual exploitation of a child.