Pfau Cochran Vertetis Amala PLLC (PCVA Law) today filed five new sexual abuse lawsuits against Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of the Northwest, Northwest Permanente, P.C., and the Estate of Michael Wilmington on behalf of former patients of Dr. Michael Wilmington, the now-disgraced Vancouver, Washington pediatrician who died by suicide shortly after authorities began investigating him for child sexual abuse and child pornography. The lawsuits were filed in King County Superior Court.
Each of the five former patients alleges that Kaiser and Northwest Permanente ignored complaints and red flags that Dr. Wilmington was using his role as a pediatrician to sexually abuse them. The plaintiffs allege complaints about Dr. Wilmington were made to Kaiser as early as 2006. One of the new plaintiffs, identified as Jane Doe 5, alleges that approximately sixteen years ago, Dr. Wilmington conducted a “slow” vaginal “exam” on her when she was a minor. Her mother reported concerns about Dr. Wilmington’s conduct to a Kaiser nurse and to another physician at the Kaiser Permanente Salmon Creek Medical Office where Dr. Wilmington was employed. According to the complaint, no action was taken.
The plaintiffs allege that because Kaiser and Northwest Permanente failed to report Dr. Wilmington to the authorities or take other action to protect them, Dr. Wilmington was able to abuse them under the guise of providing medical treatment.
What the new lawsuits allege
The five lawsuits describe sexual abuse carried out in the medical setting, including Dr. Wilmington making sexually inappropriate comments, grooming children, showing pornographic material to minor patients, taking pornographic material and photographs of minor patients, inappropriately touching minor patients, fondling minor patients’ breasts and genitalia, and digitally penetrating minor patients.
The plaintiffs allege this conduct served no medical purpose and was done solely for Dr. Wilmington’s own sexual gratification, under the guise of legitimate medical care.
“Our investigation has revealed that Dr. Wilmington serially abused his minor patients for decades,” said Mallory Allen, an attorney for the victims and a partner at PCVA Law. “Even worse, it appears Kaiser was aware of multiple complaints and many red flags indicating that he was sexually abusing his minor patients. To date, it does not appear these medical centers did anything to stop his abuses or to protect his patients. Dr. Wilmington’s sexual abuse of his minor patients is particularly insidious as it was all done under the guise of medical legitimacy. He was able to prey on vulnerable children and their caregivers under the authority of the Kaiser name.”
“The scale of Dr. Wilmington’s abuse over the course of decades could not have happened without systemic failures by Kaiser and others,” said Jason Amala, an attorney for the victims and a partner at PCVA Law. “Since news broke that he was being criminally investigated, we have spoken to over a hundred former patients and concerned parents who shared stories of him abusing them or their loved ones, including multiple patients and parents who made complaints about Dr. Wilmington directly to Kaiser.”
A pattern of reported complaints
According to the new filings, families and caregivers raised concerns with Kaiser over many years:
- In 2006, a concerned mother reported to Kaiser that Dr. Wilmington had pulled down her daughter’s undergarments, suddenly and without warning or explanation during a sports physical, in order to inspect the child’s clitoris.
- In 2010, a concerned mother reported to Kaiser that Dr. Wilmington had conducted a “slow” vaginal “exam” on her minor daughter that made her feel uncomfortable.
- In 2014, a concerned mother reported to Kaiser that Dr. Wilmington had examined her 12-year-old daughter alone in a clinic room, made lingering touches to the minor’s back and chest, slid his hand up the minor girl’s side and tried to reach under her shirt, and then attempted to pull down the minor girl’s underwear.
- In 2019, a concerned mother made multiple reports and complaints to Kaiser after Dr. Wilmington insisted she leave the room so that he could examine her minor daughter alone. The mother refused, and Dr. Wilmington became enraged while making several sexually charged comments about the minor girl’s genitalia.
- In 2020, a concerned guardian reported to Kaiser that Dr. Wilmington had suggested a minor patient, who was a survivor of sexual abuse, should shadow him at the clinic and see other children naked in order to become more comfortable being naked.
- In 2021, a concerned mother reported to Kaiser that Dr. Wilmington insisted she leave the room for a safety check of her minor daughter. When the mother returned, she saw that Dr. Wilmington had given her daughter a bottle of lubricant, and that they had discussed how to insert tampons. Dr. Wilmington encouraged the minor patient to masturbate and told her she could always talk to him about it if she was not comfortable discussing it with her mother. When the mother made her report, the response from the Kaiser medical assistant was, “Yeah, he is like that.”
Background on the investigation
PCVA Law filed the first lawsuit against Kaiser Permanente in May 2026 on behalf of a former patient who alleged Dr. Wilmington sexually abused her over several years at the Kaiser Permanente Salmon Creek Medical Office. Since then, the firm has continued to investigate the extent to which Kaiser and other institutions knew or should have known about Dr. Wilmington’s conduct with children. These five new lawsuits add to that effort.
For a full overview of the investigation, the lawsuits, and information for former patients and families, visit our central resource page: Dr. Michael Wilmington Abuse Investigation: Information for Former Patients and Families.
If you or your child were a patient of Dr. Wilmington
Many survivors only recognize abuse years later, especially when the conduct occurred during childhood and was presented as medical care. If you or your child were a patient of Dr. Wilmington and experienced inappropriate comments or touching, unusual exams, unnecessary nudity, photographs, or other concerning behavior, you may have a legal claim. In certain circumstances, survivors in Washington can bring a claim decades after the abuse ended, and a claim may be possible even though Dr. Wilmington is deceased.
PCVA Law offers confidential consultations at no cost. You can reach the firm at (206) 462-4334 or learn more at our Dr. Michael Wilmington investigation page.
About PCVA Law
Pfau Cochran Vertetis Amala PLLC (PCVA Law) represents hundreds of survivors of sexual abuse throughout Washington State and nationwide. Since 2002, PCVA Law’s nationally recognized attorneys have represented thousands of child and adult survivors in complex cases against powerful institutions, including religious organizations, youth organizations, and major medical systems.