Massage Envy Lawsuit

Are you or a family member one of many victims of sexual assault among customers at Massage Envy spas in Houston, Texas or elsewhere? If so, notify The Willis Law Firm today for a free and confidential legal review of your massage therapist rape or sexual assault case, which could lead to significant payments via a Massage Envy lawsuit.

More than 180 persons, mostly women, have filed lawsuits across the nation against Massage Envy, the country’s largest massage chain, and the list is growing. They allege Massage Envy sexual assaults by the massage therapists ranging from groping and inappropriate sexual touching to penetration and rape.

Washington, Chicago Massage Envy Lawsuits

Among the growing number of Massage Envy lawsuits is a Washington, DC massage lawsuit filed by a woman who said she was assaulted sexually during a massage at Massage Envy on Sept. 17, 2017. She is suing Massage Envy for $25 million in damages. Talk to a Board Certified Personal Injury Lawyer with over 30 years of victim injury litigation experience. Call Today 1-800-883-9858

Tara Woodley said a male licensed massage therapist began performing oral sex on her without her consent near the end of her 90-minute massage. She said she resisted and he apologized, after which she reported the assault to police, who arrested the man and charged him with first-degree sexual abuse. She then filed a civil lawsuit against the man, who denies the claims, and Massage Envy under the pseudonym Jane Doe.

Woodley said she later was encouraged to shed her anonymity by the many women who have recently brought sexual assault and harassment allegations against high-profile men in Hollywood and in government. She said she hopes to raise awareness and to hold businesses accountable for their hiring practices, which can lead to misconduct.

In addition, at least four women in Chicago or its suburbs have filed Chicago Massage Envy lawsuits. They have alleged not only sexual assaults during their massages but also have asserted that the company and its franchises ignored or mishandled their complaints.

Also, a Clermont, FL woman filed a lawsuit against a local Massage Envy location for an alleged sexual assault there during a massage on May 18, 2017. Her civil lawsuit in Lake County, FL, against the Clermont Massage Envy franchise owner asserted that the business lacked proper procedures to protect customers from such sexual abuse.

Massage Envy Customers Aren’t Protected

Indeed, Massage Envy customers do not seem to be fully protected by procedures at the chain’s franchises. For one thing, Massage Envy’s procedures for handling complaints of inappropriate touching do not require that police be notified so that the perpetrator and the alleged victim can be questioned. Instead, Massage Envy only provides for the completion of an “incident report,” which is then sent to the company’s corporate office.

It’s believed that such practices foster an environment conducive to sexual misconduct, creating a culture in which complaints of sexual abuse or assault are ignored or concealed.

Massage Envy is Largest Chain

Other sexual assault lawsuits against other massage companies also have been filed in recent years. But Massage Envy is by far the largest massage chain with the most customers. Founded in 2002 in Scottsdale, AZ, Massage Envy now has 1,170 franchised locations throughout America, employing over 20,000 massage therapists. The company says they provide 50,000 massages per day, or 1.5 million per month and 18 million per year.

Though Massage Envy has provided millions of such massages without reported incidents, the evidence is growing that the chain and its franchisees have disregarded sexual assault incidents over the years or have tried to cover them up. Some complaints have gone to state regulatory boards without action or to police without arrests. In other cases, Massage Envy has offered a settlement before a lawsuit is filed. In still other cases, complaints reportedly have been ignored, and the offending massage therapists have been retained as employees.

Further, many assaults apparently are not reported at all -- which Massage Envy seems to be counting on. According to Massage Envy’s own orientation manual for new employees, “Only 4% of upset customers will tell you when there is a problem." One Massage Envy lawsuit contends that this language “emboldens” massage therapists since they are led to believe that complaints usually will not be made if a sexual assault occurs.

If complaints do arise, Massage Envy reportedly does not require its spas to notify law enforcement or hire qualified investigators to find out what occurred. That seems to be true regardless of how serious the allegation maybe, even when it involves rape.

File a Massage Envy Lawsuit - Talk to a Lawyer Now

If you or a loved one has been victimized at Massage Envy or by another massage provider, rest assured that you can get a personal attorney for your massage lawsuit to protect your legal rights -- and hopefully to help end such incidents. Massage clients often are put in a vulnerable and isolated position where sexual abuse by a massage therapist can occur. Businesses that condone or allow such misconduct must be held accountable in the legal arena.

Contact experienced personal injury lawyer David Willis today for a free and confidential legal review of your massage therapist sexual assault case. You may be entitled to substantial payments for your Massage Envy civil lawsuit, a lawsuit which also may help to reverse the tide of sexual assaults in America. The Willis Law Firm is ready to help! Mr. Willis is a Board Certified Personal Injury Trial Lawyer with more than 39 years of experience.