Invasion of Privacy Lawyers in Washington DC

Representing Victims of Privacy Invasion in Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Maryland, and Virginia

Invasion of privacy is a type of injury or tort based on common law. This type of law has evolved over centuries and is one of our most important legal rights in a free society. It gives individuals a remedy to bring suit against someone who has illegally intruded into their personal lives, disclosed private information, made public statements about them which inflict emotional harm, or used their identity for personal gain.

Here are four main invasion of privacy categories, which may be used to file a claim:

• Intrusion of solitude: Also referred to as intrusion of seclusion. This type of invasion of privacy involves physical or electronic invasion of one’s personal place, where he or she believes they have privacy, and where this interference would be highly offensive to a reasonable person. Hacking into emails and videotaping or photographing personal information are forms of intrusion of solitude.
• Public disclosure of private facts: This invasion of privacy occurs when private, little known facts facts about a person are published. If publishing this type of information is not considered newsworthy, of public record or interest, or would be offensive to a reasonable person then an invasion of privacy may have occurred.
• False light: A form of invasion of privacy in which published information, while not necessarily false, may cast someone in a negative light. Invasion of privacy by false light occurs when the perpetrator acts with malice to intentionally cause emotional harm which would be offensive or embarrassing to a reasonable person.
• Appropriation of name or likeness: Many states have laws which make it a crime to use a person’s name or likeness for personal gain. An example of this would be a company using someone’s name or image in an advertisement without the victim’s consent.

Examples of Invasion of Privacy

Johns Hopkins doctor records patients

Dr. Nikita Levy, a gynecologist with the Johns Hopkins Community Medical system, was discovered secretly videotaping thousands of women during their gynecological exams with a pen camera. A police search of Dr. Levy’s home and office discovered over 1,300 images and videos of his patients saved on 10 computers. As a member of the Plaintiff’s Steering Committee, David Haynes, the managing attorney of the Cochran Firm’s Washington, D.C. office, helped secure a $190 million settlement for the victims.

Washington D.C. rabbi allegedly secretly films women

Dr. Barry Freundel, a rabbi at Kesher Israel Orthodox synagogue of Georgetown, is accused of secretly videotaping women as they took part in ritual bathing known as mikvah. The rabbi is alleged to have placed a clock radio installed with a video camera and memory card inside the shower area where the mikvah took place. Dr. Freundel was charged with voyeurism and ordered to stay away from Kesher Israel and any women who took place in the ritual bathing.

Voyeur films Washington, D.C. Metro riders

A voyeur secretly filmed female Washington, D.C. metro riders and uploaded the videos to an adult-oriented website. The Cochran Firm, D.C.’s managing attorney, David Haynes, was interviewed about this invasion of privacy.

Contact a Washington, D.C. Invasion of Privacy Lawyer

The Cochran Firm’s Washington, D.C. office has a proven track record of fighting for the rights of victims against powerful defendants. We have a team of experienced attorneys ready to take on employees who have committed acts of invasion of privacy within the scope of their employment. If you were the victim of an invasion of privacy, please contact us for a free, prompt, and confidential case evaluation. Because time deadlines apply in filing invasion of privacy claims, please contact us at your earliest convenience. Preserve your rights by calling us at 202-682-5800 or filling out a contact form.