Attorneys at Panish | Shea | Ravipudi LLP are actively investigating claims of sexual abuse involving Dr. Patrick Clyne, a former foster parent and staff pediatrician who treated Santa Clara County foster youth.
According to publicly available records and media reports, allegations of sexual abuse involving children placed in Dr. Clyne’s care and/or treated by Dr. Clyne surfaced over a period spanning decades. Despite repeated reports and investigations referenced in court documents, Dr. Clyne continued for years to serve as both a foster parent and a physician treating vulnerable children.
Our firm has already successfully represented one survivor in litigation arising from this abuse and is continuing to investigate potential additional claims.
Allegations and Public Record Timeline Regarding Dr. Patrick Clyne’s History of Sexual Abuse
Court records indicate that allegations of sexual abuse by Dr. Clyne were reported by social workers, parents, guardians, therapists, a juvenile probation officer, and staff at residential group homes for years, often based on disclosures from children placed in his care.
The following timeline outlining the sexual abuse allegations against Dr. Clyne is based on publicly available court records, regulatory filings, and media reporting:
- 1996 – Dr. Patrick Clyne begins working for Santa Clara Valley Medical Center, a county-run facility.
- 2001 – Dr. Clyne is suspended while San Jose police investigate reports of sexual abuse involving three boys placed in his home through the child welfare system.
- 2002 – A Santa Clara County grand jury hears testimony but does not issue an indictment.
- 2009–2010 – A second set of sexual abuse allegations emerges, this time involving six of Dr. Clyne’s pediatric patients.
- 2010 – Dr. Clyne is suspended again while law enforcement investigates the allegations.
- 2011 – According to court filings, the Santa Clara County District Attorney notified the County that it had “substantial evidence that Dr. Patrick Clyne committed multiple crimes involving moral turpitude, specifically sexual assaults.” The County subsequently dismissed Dr. Clyne, and a hospital official notified the Medical Board of California.
- 2013 – Dr. Clyne opens the Pediatric Medical Group of Watsonville with another physician. Detailed allegations of sexual abuse appear in a habeas corpus petition filed in appellate proceedings.
- 2019 – Federal court filings reveal allegations that Dr. Clyne sexually abused multiple former patients between 2009 and 2011.
- 2021 – The California Attorney General files an administrative accusation seeking revocation of Dr. Clyne’s medical license based on allegations of sexual misconduct.
- June 2025 – The Medical Board of California revokes Dr. Clyne’s medical license.
$5.5 Million Settlement for Survivor of Foster Care Abuse
Panish | Shea | Ravipudi LLP represented Plaintiff Kyle R., a survivor who was placed in Dr. Clyne’s home as a foster child. The firm secured a $5.5 million settlement on his behalf.
According to the civil complaint filed in 2020, Kyle entered foster care in August 1995 and was placed by Santa Clara County Child Protective Services (CPS) in Dr. Clyne’s home. The lawsuit alleged that several months later, the County received a report that Dr. Clyne had inappropriately touched another foster child.
The complaint further alleged that:
- The County failed to adequately investigate the report.
- CPS failed to conduct required monthly in-person welfare visits for extended periods.
- The County failed to protect a vulnerable child despite warning signs.
The evidence presented in the case demonstrated significant systemic failures that allowed the abuse to continue.
Our firm is committed to holding both individual perpetrators and institutions accountable when they fail to protect children.
Institutional Responsibility Matters
When abuse occurs in foster care, medical settings, schools, youth organizations, or other trusted environments, institutions may bear civil responsibility if they:
- Failed to properly investigate prior reports
- Ignored warning signs
- Retained or rehired individuals with known risks
- Failed to supervise or monitor appropriately
- Failed to follow mandatory reporting laws
Civil lawsuits not only provide compensation for survivors, but they also expose systemic failures and drive institutional reform.
What Financial Compensation May Be Available?
Childhood sexual abuse can cause profound and lifelong harm, including emotional trauma, psychological injury, and economic loss.
In California, survivors may pursue compensation for:
- Past and future medical expenses
- Therapy, counseling, and psychiatric care
- Prescription medications
- Lost wages and diminished earning capacity
- Pain and suffering
- Emotional distress and mental anguish
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Reduced self-esteem and psychological injury
- Punitive damages in appropriate cases
While no financial recovery can undo the trauma suffered, civil justice can provide resources for healing and accountability.
California Statute of Limitations for Child Sexual Abuse
California has significantly expanded survivors’ rights in recent years. Under Assembly Bill 452, there is no time limit to file a civil lawsuit for sexual abuse that occurred on or after January 1, 2024, when the victim was under 18.
For abuse that occurred before January 1, 2024, survivors generally have until:
- Their 40th birthday, or
- Within five years of discovering that psychological injury was caused by the abuse,
whichever occurs later, subject to certain legal exceptions.
Because these laws are complex and frequently amended, survivors should speak with an experienced attorney to understand how the statute of limitations applies to their specific situation.
A Proven Record of Standing Up for Survivors
Panish | Shea | Ravipudi LLP has spent decades representing survivors of sexual abuse throughout California. Our firm has achieved groundbreaking settlements and verdicts for survivors of childhood sexual abuse, including:
- $135 million jury verdict against the Moreno Valley Unified School District for two former students sexually abused by their teacher.
- $26 million jury verdict against Pasadena Unified School District for a special education student sexually assaulted on campus.
- $13 million jury verdict for a child sexually abused at a fitness facility’s childcare program.
- $5.5 million settlement for a survivor of Dr. Clyne’s abuse.
- Played a leadership role and assisted in negotiating a $122.5 million global settlement for 124 survivors of abuse by Eric Uller, who used his positions with the City of Santa Monica and the Santa Monica Police Activities League to sexually abuse hundreds of teen boys from the 1980s through the early 2000s.
- Represented survivors in the $380 million global settlement with USA Gymnastics and the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee and played a leadership role in negotiating the resolution.
- Played a leadership role in negotiating the $828 million global settlement with Los Angeles County to resolve claims of sexual abuse in the County’s juvenile detention and foster care system.
Our firm does not shy away from complex, institutionally sensitive cases. We pursue accountability wherever the evidence leads.
Contact Us for a Free and Confidential Consultation
If you or someone you love was harmed by sexual abuse involving Dr. Patrick Clyne or within the Santa Clara County foster care or medical system, you do not have to face this alone.
All consultations are:
- Free
- Confidential
- Trauma-informed
- No obligation
Call us at (408) 789-8403
Or email santaclaraSA@panish.law
Strict time limits may apply in certain cases. Speaking with a sexual abuse attorney promptly can help preserve your rights.
The information on this page is based on publicly available court records, regulatory filings, and media reporting. Dr. Clyne has denied allegations of wrongdoing in prior proceedings. This page is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. A survivor’s potential recovery depends on the specific facts and evidence in each case.