Houston, TX -- (ReleaseWire) -- 10/16/2015 --Schechter, McElwee, Shaffer & Harris' (SMSH) attorneys Arthur Schechter and Cynthia Huerta along with the Weycer Law Firm were retained by a 29-year-old wife and mother, Laura, who was raped while heavily sedated at Ben Taub Hospital by a former doctor.
Laura, whose last name has been withheld to protect her identity, was admitted to the hospital in November 2013 for an acute asthma attack. She alleges a doctor entered her room multiple times and sexually assaulted her. Although sedated, she pressed the nurse's call button numerous times, but no one came to help her. The following morning, a nurse confirmed that the call button was not working.
The Houston Police Department was contacted and a rape kit sample was collected.
On October 12, almost two years after the attack, police charged Dr. Shafeeq Sheikh, now former Baylor College of Medicine employee, with sexual assault. According to court records, DNA evidence could not exclude him and a surveillance video showed he accessed Laura's floor with his hospital ID 12 times that night.
Huerta, a Trial Attorney at SMSH, filed a complaint on Laura's behalf against Sheikh with the Texas Board of Medical Examiner. His license has been temporarily suspended.
Arthur Schechter, founding partner of SMSH, applauds Laura's bravery for sharing her story as it is potentially saving other victims.
"A hospital is supposed to be a safe haven for patients to receive medical attention. Dr. Sheikh is a predator of the worst kind, using his medical credentials to stalk our client and his power to select his victims," Schechter said. "Our team is working diligently to ensure Dr. Sheikh cannot harm anyone else and that Laura and her family receives the closure they deserve."
He urges any other witnesses or victims of Sheikh to come forward to help prosecute the civil case by contacting his office at 800-282-2122.
About Arthur Schechter
Arthur Schechter has helped thousands of clients since he began practicing law in 1964. He is a founding partner of SMSH, serving as senior counsel and litigator for personal injury claims. Schechter is also a former U.S. Ambassador to the Commonwealth of the Bahamas.
In his years in practice, he has distinguished himself both as an outstanding attorney and an active figure in the Houston community. He serves on the boards of several organizations, including S.E.A.R.C.H. Service to the Homeless, the Houston Area Parkinson's Center, AIDS Foundation Houston, William A. Lawson Institute for Peace and Prosperity.
His dedication to helping accident victims has earned him an impressive success record in the courtroom. His clients have named boats, businesses and even their children after him!
Schechter has been named a Texas Super Lawyer every year since 2003 -- that's every single year the award has been in existence.
About Schechter, McElwee, Shaffer & Harris
The personal injury attorneys at Schechter, McElwee, Shaffer & Harris have spent decades helping victims of all types of accidents. Their attorneys have more than 100 years of combined trial experience in maritime, auto and industrial accidents.