A lawsuit against Northwell Health was filed on Friday, July 25 on behalf of more than 250 people, charging that the health network failed to prevent a former employee from recording patients in the healthcare system’s Manhasset sleep disorder and STARS rehabilitation clinic bathrooms.
“We’re filing this lawsuit on behalf of approximately 250 people to get justice for them and to ensure that Northwell learns their lesson about not letting this happen again,” said Nathan Werksman of Merson Law, who filed the suit. “And, equally important, to ensure that if there are any recordings of our clients, they are permanently deleted.”
The suit charges that Northwell knew or should have known that ex-employee Sanjai Syamaprasad was recording patients in the Manhasset facility’s bathrooms.
Syamaprasad pleaded guilty to charges of unlawful surveillance on July 15. Investigations showed Syamaprasad recorded patients with a camera hidden in fake smoke detectors in bathrooms and watched those recordings back between July 2023 and April 2024.
Merson Law’s suit is the latest in a series of suits filed against Northwell over Syamaprasad’s conduct.
Sokolove Law and German Rubenstein LLP are representing patients and staff who believe they may have been recorded by Syamaprasad. A number of other law firms, including Dell & Dean, Levy Law, and Miller & Zois, have posted notices on their sites offering legal help or representation to those who believe they may have been recorded by Syamaprasad at the Manhasset facility.
Werksman said anyone who received one of Northwell’s over 13,000 letters notifying people they may have used the bathroom at the Manhasset facility between July 2023 and April 2024 should contact him to press charges.
Syamaprasad was convicted on both unlawful surveillance and evidence tampering charges, as he also attempted to destroy and dispose of some recordings. He was offered five years’ probation with no jail time earlier in July, which Merson Law attorneys said they thought was not harsh enough.
Nassau County District Attorney Anne Donnelly, who has called the situation “disturbing,” has also said she believes the judge’s recommended sentence is too light, recommending one of seven to 21 years behind bars.
Werksman said he hopes his firm’s lawsuit can provide financial compensation and justice for those impacted that the criminal justice system has not. He also intends for the lawsuit to provide answers as to how Syamaprasad was able to record patients for nearly two years before Northwell took action.
“This civil lawsuit is going to figure out how Northwell allowed this to happen,” Werksman said. “We’re going to get to the bottom of it, and we are going to get compensation for our clients who’ve suffered as a result. It is as important as a criminal process in getting justice for what happened and holding Northwell accountable for such an incredible breach of privacy.”
He said the patients he is acting on behalf of “represent a true cross section of Nassau County,” encompassing people of all races, religions, and ages, including children as young as a few years old and grandparents. He said those he represents feel like their rights and privacy were violated.
“My young daughter, who was four at the time of her visit, and I have been violated,” one patient wrote in a statement. “To hear justice wasn’t truly served hurts my heart…As a mother, I just wanted to protect my children. Not knowing they were being watched and it was out of my control, I feel defeated.”
“Since the day I found out my rights have been violated and that there was possible footage of me not only changing clothes, but using the bathroom, in the Northwell Sleep Lab, my anxiety has been at its worst,” another wrote.
“Making the decision to undergo a sleep study at Northwell was a difficult one, because I knew it would be difficult to go to sleep while someone was observing. But, at least I knew if I needed it, I could have a moment’s privacy in the facility’s bathroom,” another patient said. “So, it was especially painful to learn that someone could have been watching me then, when I was at my most vulnerable.”
Northwell has condemned Syamaprasad’s action since the start of their former employee’s criminal trial.
“We were deeply disturbed when we first learned information regarding the conduct of the former employee, who has not worked here for over one year,” a new statement from the healthcare system reads. “We promptly reported his conduct to the DA’s Office, immediately revoked his access to the premises, and fully cooperated in the DA’s office’s investigation and prosecution of him.”
Northwell did not respond directly to questions about how it failed to detect or respond to Syamaprasad’s action but insisted it values the privacy of patients and staff.
“Safeguarding the privacy of our patients and employees will always remain a high priority for us,” Northwell’s statement concluded.
Syamaprasad is due back in court on Sept. 15.
