Southern Oregon Chiropractic is facing another lawsuit over allegations involving a former massage therapist who has been criminally charged with sexually abusing patients.
Former patient Nora Costley alleges she was sexually abused by massage therapist Kevin Farrow at the Ashland clinic in 2021. Her lawsuit claims the clinic failed to adequately respond to earlier complaints about Farrow, which could have prevented her alleged assault.
Farrow was charged in 2023 with three counts of sexual abuse for allegedly assaulting patients. His criminal case is ongoing.
"The degree of negligence and the lies and how much that they heard about this and swept it under the rug for how many years — that’s just such a great degree of dishonesty that is still hard for me to understand to this day," Costley said.
Southern Oregon Chiropractic did not respond to a request for comment.
The lawsuit names the clinic's Ashland location and co-owners Joty Bains-Reed and Eric Reed as defendants.
In a deposition for a separate lawsuit, Bains-Reed testified that she was aware of two complaints against Farrow during his employment: one in 2019 and another in 2021. Farrow was terminated after the 2021 complaint, according to her testimony.
Former office manager Tonya Norman, formerly Tonya Lewis, testified in her deposition for that case that the clinic received three complaints about Farrow before he was terminated, as well as several after.
Norman also testified she did not receive adequate training on how to handle such complaints.
"I felt powerless, especially after more and more women were complaining," she said. "I felt I didn't get the support I needed."
Costley's lawsuit alleges the clinic had received reports of at least 10 instances of sexual assault or battery before Farrow allegedly assaulted Costley in 2021, and the clinic failed in its duty to protect patients.
The complaint argues the clinic should have terminated Farrow after the first complaint, reported his conduct, as required by state law, to the police and State Board and provided additional employee training on boundaries and sexual harassment.
"They didn’t. That led to numerous other women, including Plaintiff, being sexually assaulted by Mr. Farrow," the complaint reads.
Tom Dimitre, Costley's attorney, said his client could have been spared if the clinic had reported Farrow to authorities.
"Nora wouldn't have been harmed if they would have done what they were supposed to do legally, morally and ethically," Dimitre said.
The lawsuit includes claims of intentional infliction of emotional distress, negligent supervision and negligent failure to report to a licensing board.
Costley said the alleged assault continues to affect her.
"I had to go see a doctor in Mexico, and I had a panic attack outside of the hospital, and that still happens to me today," she said. "I don't think I'll ever trust health care providers ever again."
The lawsuit seeks $950,000 in damages.
Southern Oregon Chiropractic is also facing a separate lawsuit filed last year by former employee Jaime Powell. In that case, Powell, a massage therapist, alleges the clinic did not respond adequately after Farrow was charged. A trial is scheduled for November.
Farrow's criminal case has a pretrial conference scheduled for October.
Costley said she wants to see Southern Oregon Chiropractic held accountable.
"Southern Oregon Chiropractic did this to me as much as Kevin Farrow did it," she said. "They put me in a room with him, and they knew."
