Lawsuit Information Center
On this page, we will look at sex abuse lawsuits involving Army Dr. Michael Stockin who was convicted of sexually abusing patients at the military Joint Base Lewis-McChord near Tacoma, Washington. Victims of sexual abuse by Dr. Stockin are now filing civil lawsuits against the Army alleging that it knew or should have known about the abuse and failed to investigate.
We are currently accepting sex abuse cases against the Army involving sexual abuse by Dr. Stockin at Joint Base Lewis-McChord. If you have a potential case, call us today at 800-553-8082 or contact us online.
About Dr. Michael Stockin
Dr. Michael Stockin was a Major in the U.S. Army. Dr. Stockin was an anesthesiologist and he specialized in pain management. Prior to winding up in Washington State, Stockin served a tour in Iraq. After returning home, Dr. Stockin was assigned to the Tripler Army Medical Center in Hawaii and then the served at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland.
Dr. Stockin came to the Madigan Army Medical Center hospital at Joint Base Lewis-McChord near Tacoma in 2019. Dr. Stockin treated patients at Madigan from 2019 to 2022. Stocking was removed from his medical post by the Army in February 2022.
Allegations of Sexual Abuse By Dr. Stockin
In January 2022, a number of Dr. Stockin’s patients at Madigan came forward and made formal complaints against him for inappropriate conduct during medical examinations. The patients were all males and they claimed that when they went to see Dr. Stockin for pain management treatment, he would get them alone in the exam room and have them disrobe.
Once the patients were naked and alone with him in the exam room, Dr. Stockin would stare at their bodies, make sexual comments about their genitals and then begin fondling the patient’s genitals under the guise of medical examination. When patients questions him, Dr. Stockin would tell them that this sort of examination was “routine” and required, even when the patient was there for treatment of pain in their neck or shoulders.
Investigation and Criminal Charges Against Stockin
After receiving the initial complaints and removing Dr. Stockin from his post in February 2022, the Army conducted an investigation. Over a year later, in August 2023, Stockin was charged with criminal violations of the Code of Military Justice. Initially, Stockin was charged with 23 criminal code violations. From that point forward additional charges were continuously added as new cases were investigated. By January 2024, Dr. Stocking was charged with a total of 52 separate criminal counts involving sexual abuse and assault. 41 male patients were identified as victims in the criminal action.
Stocking eventually pleaded guilty to most of the criminal counts as part of plead bargain deal with Army prosecutors. In January 2025, Stockin was sentenced to 164 months in military prison for his acts of sexual abuse committed against 41 patients. This was the maximum allowable prison sentence Stockin could receive under the terms of his plea deal.
The judge also ordered that Stockin will be stripped of all future military pay and benefits and dishonorably discharged. He will also lose his license to practice medicine.
Lawsuits Against the Army for Dr. Stockin Sex Abuse
So far, 22 former patients of Dr. Stockin’s have initiated the process of filing civil lawsuits against the Army under the Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA). The FTCA is a special law that applies whenever tort claims are filed against the U.S. Government or one of its agencies. Under the FTCA, all plaintiffs are required to give the relevant government agency (in this case the Army) written notice of the claim and then wait 6 months before filing a civil lawsuit.
The 22 victims of Dr. Stockin have filed written claim statements under the FTCA and are now waiting for the mandatory period to pass before moving on to filing their case in court. The lawsuits (or FTCA claims) allege that the Army is liable because it was negligent in its hiring, training and supervision of Dr. Stockin. The claims also assert a more general allegations that the Army failed to adopt appropriate policies and procedures to keep patients safe from sexual abuse by Dr. Stockin.
At this point, the details of exactly how the Army may have been negligent in its hiring or supervision of Dr. Stockin are very vague. If there is evidence to show that the Army received prior complaints of inappropriate conduct by Dr. Stockin, but failed to investigate and allowed him to keep seeing patients, that would present a strong negligence case. So far, however, we do know much about that.
What is Sexual Abuse By a Doctor?
Identifying inappropriate behavior by a doctor can be challenging because medical examinations often involve the exposure of intimate body parts and physical contact. Generally, sexual assault by a medical professional occurs when a doctor violates your privacy by engaging in unwarranted sexual touching. Any type of sexual touching that does not have a valid medical purpose and is done for the purpose of sexual gratification is considered sexual abuse.
The Right To Sue for Doctor Sexual Abuse
Victims of sexual abuse by a doctor during a medical examination have the legal right to bring a lawsuit against the doctor (for sexual battery) and also against third parties such as the hospital or health care system that employed the doctor. In the case of Dr. Stockin that third party happens to be the U.S. Army. Victims can bring a sex abuse lawsuit against a doctor even if they never reported the abuse to the police or even told anyone about what happened.
In the case of Dr. Stockin, sex abuse lawsuits must be brought under the FTCA because the defendant is the U.S. government. However, the underlying tort claims of sexual battery and negligence still arise under state law. So if the sexual abuse occurred at Madigan in Washington, the tort claims would be based on the law of Washington state.
Shorter Deadlines for Sex Abuse Claims Against the Government
Victims of sexual abuse by Dr. Michael Stockin at Joint Base Lewis-McChord must act quickly to preserve their legal rights. Unlike standard personal injury cases, which may allow for longer filing deadlines, lawsuits against the U.S. government under the Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA) have a strict and shorter statute of limitations.
Under the FTCA, individuals must file an administrative claim within two years of the abuse or the date they became aware of the harm caused by the abuse. This administrative claim must be submitted to the appropriate government agency—in this case, the U.S. Army. Once the claim is filed, the Army has six months to respond. If the Army denies the claim or fails to respond within the six-month period, the victim may then proceed with filing a lawsuit in federal court.
What This Means for Victims
Because Dr. Stockin was removed from his position in February 2022, and criminal charges surfaced publicly in August 2023, it is critical that victims act as soon as possible to ensure they meet what may be the FTCA’s filing deadline. If you suspect you were harmed by Dr. Stockin’s misconduct, do not wait until it is too late—missing this deadline could permanently bar you from seeking compensation.
Contact Us About Dr. Stockin Sex Abuse Claims
If you were sexually abused by Dr. Stockin you may be able to file a claim and get compensation. Call us today at 800-553-8082 or contact us online.