Patient Sues Eye Doctor, Claims His Assistant Licked Her Toes

Well, this post is pretty much written—I can’t do better than that. But here are details: a Illinois woman named Roman Tesfaye alleges that when she went for an eye exam this past summer, the assistant, Joseph Vernell Jr., put a strip over her eyes and told her to keep them closed for 5-7 minutes. Then the toe-licking happened.

He then reclined the examination chair and raised her legs onto another chair, at which point Tesfaye “felt her right shoe fall off,” the suit states.

“Ms. Tesfaye felt something touching her toes,” according to the suit. “After feeling the toe-touching several times, she opened her eyes and witnessed Mr. Vernell stand up and pull his shirt down.”

When she accused him of licking her toes, Vernell allegedly replied, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, but I was checking your sugar level,” the suit states.

The lawsuit, which was filed yesterday in Cook County Circuit Court, “seeks in excess of $50,000 in damages for battery and emotional distress.” We suggest consumers wear lace-ups when going to the eye doctor, for their own safety.

“Suit alleges patient’s toes were licked during eye exam in Skokie” [Chicago Tribune]
(Photo: Getty)

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