Ohio State University Sued for Sexual Misconduct by Former Team Physician Dr. Richard Strauss

Federal class-action lawsuit claims Ohio State knew about Dr. Richard Strauss sexual misconduct and failed to act.

A national group of prominent attorneys and law firms who represent sexual abuse victims, including the sexual abuse attorneys at Corsiglia, McMahon & Allard, have filed a class-action lawsuit against the Ohio State University. The lawsuit claims that the school knew that former team physician Dr. Richard Strauss took sexual advantage of student-athletes. As a result, the complaint states that the university did nothing to stop him from harming hundreds of athletes from 14 different sports.

The OSU Strauss lawsuit charges that Dr. Richard Strauss was employed to administer physical examinations on the student-athletes as a condition of their participation in the sport that they were recruited for. Dr. Richard Strauss, according to the lawsuit, took advantage of his position to grope, touch, and penetrate the student-athletes in a medically unnecessary manner.

It is claimed in the complaint that Athletic Director Andy Geiger, later a former AD of Stanford University, along with others in a position of authority, failed to act to stop Dr. Richard Strauss even though they knew about his behavior and engaged in deliberate indifference to the harm caused by the repeated abuse.

Congressman Jim Jordan has been rumored to have had knowledge about Dr. Richard Strauss in his role as an assistant wrestling coach. As a sitting Congressman, Rep. Jim Jordan has the power and the platform to enact positive change for Ohio State athletes, and for that matter, all athletes across the country.

Why OSU Student-Athletes Were Silenced

In most cases, given the length of time that Dr. Strauss was allowed to get away with his behavior, many student-athletes felt that their complaints would be futile as it appeared that Dr. Strauss was above the law and could do no wrong in the eyes of Ohio State University.
Besides seeking compensation for those sexually abused, the lawsuit is looking for injunctive relief that forces Ohio State University to fund and put in place a program to stop the sexual abuse of student-athletes.

Beyond the Lawsuit

Ohio State is another institution that chooses to protect its image and its brand rather than protecting students from the sexual misconduct of a team doctor. Ohio State University joins Michigan State University and the University of Southern California as educational institutions that had failed to act when they had the opportunity to do so. Universities must stop relying on a single medical doctor to impose their will on student-athletes. Instead, any medical doctor should be allowed to perform a physical examination on a student-athlete provided that they comply with a medical exam that meets university criteria.

The Impact to OSU

Ohio State University began its own internal investigation in April of 2018. As part of its investigation, Ohio State is reaching out to former student-athletes, coaches and others who may have been victims or may have had knowledge of sexual assault.

A Harvard University study concluded that universities that attracted a high level of media coverage from school scandals had a significant drop in college applications, as much as ten percent the following year.

Contact Us

For athletes that were sexually abused by Dr. Richard Strauss, the law firm of Corsiglia, McMahon & Allard is asking that you trust them with your case. The firm has been trusted by hundreds of parents of childhood sexual abuse. Please call 408-289-1417 or email us for a free and completely confidential evaluation of your case.