Former Employee Sues Massage Envy Over Sexual Assault
New lawsuit claims therapist transferred to another DFW location
DALLAS – Attorneys with Blizzard Greenberg have filed another lawsuit against Massage Envy, this time on behalf of a massage therapist in Dallas who says she was sexually assaulted by a male co-worker during a massage appointment.
“Accusations of sexual assault are supposed to be zero-tolerance offenses, according to Massage Envy’s own policies,” said trial lawyer Anna Greenberg. “Rather than terminating the therapist, this franchisee allowed him to continue working, having access to other women. It makes you wonder how often this happens.”
The lawsuit filed in Dallas County describes a case in which a longtime Massage Envy employee, identified as R.Q. in the complaint, booked a massage appointment with a male co-worker to treat upper neck and back pain. According to the lawsuit, during the session, the massage therapist slid his hands under R.Q.’s underwear and groped her multiple times after she insisted that he stop.
R.Q. reported the assault to Massage Envy management, who in turn informed the assailant of her complaint. Rather than following company policy and terminating the therapist immediately, management allowed him to undergo additional training on draping procedures – training that he had been required to redo multiple times before this offense.
Weeks later, R.Q. was told the company moved the therapist to a Massage Envy location in Fort Worth. That location is the focus of another recent lawsuit claiming sexual assault by another therapist. Eventually, the company terminated the attacker in R.Q.’s case. She also reported the attack to the Dallas Police Department.
Just last year, attorneys at Blizzard Greenberg secured a maximum policy limits settlement against another Massage Envy location in Houston on behalf of multiple sexual assault victims. Since then, the firm has filed more cases against the company, alleging a pattern of misconduct.
“Massage Envy’s culture of cover-ups and negligence is extremely dangerous,” said Ms. Greenberg. “The lawless cycle of inconsequential trainings and employee transfers does nothing to protect customers and fellow employees from harm.”
The latest case is R.Q. v Massage Envy Franchising, LLC, et al., cause number CC-24-04079-E in Dallas County.
About Blizzard Greenberg, PLLC
Blizzard Greenberg, PLLC, is an award-winning national trial firm with more than 40 years of experience handling complex legal issues involving pharmaceutical and personal injury cases. For more information, visit www.blizzardlaw.com.
