BECKLEY – A Raleigh County woman says a former hospital physician sexually harassed and intimated her teen daughter.
The mother, identified only as L.L., filed her complaint in Raleigh Circuit Court on behalf of her daughter W.L. against Appalachian Regional Healthcare, doing business as Beckley Appalachian Regional Hospital, and Dr. Zouhair Kabbara.
According to the complaint, W.L. began volunteering at BARH in May 2019. She is now 15 years old. She and other junior volunteers helped in various way around the hospital, such as by retrieving wheelchairs and pushing the “happy cart” with books and other items for patients.
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Kabbara worked with junior volunteers.
“Kabbara would noticeably stand up from his chair and follow W.L. with his eyes as she walked down the hallway and stalked her throughout the hospital,” the complaint states. “Another incident occurred when W.L. went to retrieve a wheelchair from the 4th floor, and defendant Kabbara approached her as if he was trying to assist her causing W.L. to run away.
“Every Wednesay, W.L. would go to lunch for ‘Chick-Fil-A Day,’ and defendant Kabbara would follow her then sit directly across from her at another table and stare at her for uncomfortable periods of time.”
Following a complaint by another junior volunteer, the hospital gave them a new protocol to follow. That involved using a codename when Kabbara was nearby and performing duties in pairs when Kabbara was on duty.
Following another incident that was reported by another junior volunteer, Kabbara was given the opportunity to resign from the hospital. After he resigned, several other junior volunteers – as well as hospital staff and visitors – have come forward with allegations of harassment, according to the complaint.
The complaint also says Kabbara’s sexual predatory behavior goes back to his residency in New York. The plaintiffs say the hospital should have known about that history.
“Kabbara was charged with two counts of felony rape in the state of New York, including one count of rape that occurred in November 2012, which defendant Kabbara had sealed,” the complaint states.
The plaintiffs accuse the defendants of intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligent hiring, negligent supervision, negligent retention, sexual harassment and civil conspiracy. They seek compensatory and punitive damages, pre- and post-judgment interest, attorney fees and court costs.
They are being represented by Stephen P. New and Amanda J. Taylor of New, Taylor & Associates in Beckley. The case has been assigned to Circuit Judge Robert Burnside.
Raleigh Circuit Court case number 20-C-70
