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Overview of the Dr. Bryan Sack Class Action Lawsuit

The Dr. Bryan Sack lawsuit in Michigan is a federal class action filed on November 4, 2026, by Flood Law and co-counsel on behalf of 13 children and their families. The complaint names pediatric urologist Bryan Shanley Sack, M.D., Nationwide Children's Hospital, and Mercy Health - St. Vincent Medical Center LLC.

Flood Law was founded by former Wayne County Prosecutor Todd Flood, who served as Special Prosecutor overseeing criminal prosecutions in the Flint Water Crisis and represented survivors in the Larry Nassar case. On this page, we explain what the complaint alleges, which laws may apply, who may be affected, and what the lawsuit seeks from the court. Everything described about Dr. Sack is only an allegation.

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What Is the Dr. Bryan Sack Class Action Lawsuit?

The Dr. Bryan Sack class action is a proposed lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan. It seeks compensation and court-ordered protections for children Dr. Sack treated and their parents.

Here are the key details so far:

  • Court: U.S. District Court, Eastern District of Michigan
  • Filed: November 4, 2026
  • Plaintiffs: 13 children and their parents, identified by pseudonym
  • Proposed class: An estimated 1,000 to 2,500 former patients and their parents
  • Defendants: Bryan Shanley Sack, M.D.; Nationwide Children's Hospital; Mercy Health - St. Vincent Medical Center LLC

The court has not yet certified a class. Until a judge decides whether the case meets the requirements for class treatment, families are not automatically class members.

What Does the Complaint Allege Against Dr. Sack and the Hospitals?

The complaint alleges that Dr. Sack's personal Dropbox account held more than 27,000 files of children, including roughly 1,200 files of child sexual abuse material stored alongside close-up clinical images of children's genitals, some allegedly taken on his cell phone during exams. It also alleges that keeping patient images on a personal account violated hospital policy.

The complaint asserts the following claims:

  • Against Dr. Sack: Federal claims available to child victims, along with invasion of privacy, unauthorized disclosure of medical information, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.
  • Against the hospitals: Negligence, negligent supervision, and negligent hiring, credentialing, and retention. The complaint alleges the hospitals failed to require chaperones, allowed personal phones in exam and procedure rooms, failed to secure clinical photographs, and ignored warning signs.
  • Against Nationwide Children's Hospital: Fraudulent concealment, based on public statements that the charges were unrelated to Dr. Sack's clinical work and on reassurance to at least one family that no patients were affected, allegedly without a reasonable basis.

What Federal Law Gives Child Victims a Civil Remedy?

A civil remedy for child victims exists under 18 U.S.C. § 2255. The statute allows a person who, while a minor, was a victim of certain listed federal offenses, and who suffers personal injury as a result, to sue in federal district court. The listed offenses include violations of 18 U.S.C. § 2252A, which addresses certain activities relating to child pornography.

Where the statute applies, a plaintiff may recover actual damages or liquidated damages of $150,000, plus the cost of the action and reasonable attorney's fees.

A court may also award punitive damages and other relief. In 2022, Congress removed the time limit for filing a § 2255 complaint through Pub. L. 117-176, as reflected in the statute's current text.

Whether § 2255 applies to any particular child depends on the facts and the evidence. Class treatment is a separate question governed by Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 23, which requires numerosity, commonality, typicality, and adequacy of representation, and that one of the Rule 23(b) categories be satisfied.

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What Is the Timeline of the Dr. Bryan Sack Case?

The Dr. Sack case began with a criminal investigation and has since expanded into federal criminal charges and this civil class action. Dr. Sack has pleaded not guilty to the criminal charges and is presumed innocent unless proven guilty. The civil lawsuit is separate from the criminal case.

Crucial dates include:

  • February 21, 2026: Following a tip from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, Michigan State Police searched Dr. Sack's Ann Arbor home and seized digital evidence. He was arraigned in the 15th District Court on six state felony counts, including aggravated possession of child sexually abusive material and using a computer to commit a crime. He pleaded not guilty and posted a $75,000 bond.
  • February 25, 2026: Nationwide Children's announced that it had fired Dr. Sack and stated that, based on what law enforcement told it, the charges were not related to his clinical work.
  • May 20, 2026: A federal grand jury indicted Dr. Sack for receipt and possession of child pornography. An FBI affidavit disclosed that his personal Dropbox account also held images from pediatric surgical procedures.
  • June 2026: Dr. Sack pleaded not guilty to the federal charges.
  • November 4, 2026: Flood Law and co-counsel filed the class action.
  • January 12, 2027: The federal criminal trial is currently scheduled to begin.
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Who May Be Affected?

Families may be affected if Dr. Sack examined, photographed, or operated on their child. Your family may have a claim if your child was seen by Dr. Sack at any of these locations:

  • Nationwide Children's Hospital - Toledo, on the Mercy Health - St. Vincent campus
  • The Cherry Street pediatric clinic in Toledo
  • Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus
  • The University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, where he was a clinical associate professor of urology at the Medical School as recently as 2024
  • Anywhere else he treated children

Many families traveled from southeast Michigan for care in Toledo. It is not yet known whose images were recovered or whether any were shared, and getting those answers is a central goal of the case.

The current lawsuit focuses on Dr. Sack's work at the Ohio hospitals. Flood Law also represents families whose children were treated by Dr. Sack at the University of Michigan and is reviewing claims on their behalf.

What Is the Lawsuit Asking the Court to Order?

In addition to compensation for affected children and parents, the lawsuit asks the court for orders intended to protect every family Dr. Sack treated.

The requested orders would:

  • Require Dr. Sack to identify and turn over every patient image before evidence can be destroyed through federal forfeiture, and to disclose anyone he shared images with.
  • Require the hospitals to notify every patient Dr. Sack treated.
  • Require an independent audit of the hospitals' imaging, chaperone, personal device, and network security practices.
  • Require the hospitals to pay for counseling for affected children and families.

Whether a court grants any of this relief will depend on the evidence and the court's rulings.

How Is Families' Privacy Protected in the Dr. Sack Case?

No family is named in the lawsuit. Children are identified only as "John Doe" or "Jane Doe," and parents as "Parent Doe." Flood Law has asked the court for a protective order keeping every family's identity confidential.

Speaking with Flood Law is also confidential. Families are not identified publicly without their permission.

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Why Detroit Trusts Flood Law

Flood Law brings trial experience and institutional accountability work to cases involving powerful defendants. Todd Flood has tried more than 300 trials, and the firm as a whole has tried more than 400 cases. His public-service background includes leading the criminal prosecutions in the Flint Water Crisis and representing survivors in the Larry Nassar case.

The firm takes a selective approach so each client receives hands-on service from a full team. Clients work directly with experienced attorneys rather than call centers. For families seeking a class action lawyer in Detroit, that structure offers personal attention alongside the resources to take on well-funded hospital systems.

Consultations are free, and Flood Law handles these cases on a contingency-fee basis, so families pay nothing unless there is a recovery.

If your child was treated by Dr. Sack, the attorneys at Flood Law will listen, answer your questions, and explain your family's options. Contact us today.

We Are Standing By, Ready to Help You

(248) 547-1032 Free Case Review

FAQs

Is My Family Automatically Part of the Class?

No. The court has not yet certified a class. Families who believe their child may be affected should speak with an attorney now to understand their rights and any deadlines that may apply.

My Child Saw Dr. Sack at the University of Michigan. Can Flood Law Help?

Yes. Before joining Nationwide Children's, Dr. Sack was a clinical associate professor of urology at the University of Michigan Medical School. Flood Law represents families whose children he treated in Ann Arbor and is reviewing their claims.

How Do I Find Out Whether My Child's Images Were Found?

That information has not been disclosed. The lawsuit asks the court to require Dr. Sack to identify every patient image and to require the hospitals to notify every patient he treated.

Has Dr. Sack Been Convicted?

No. Dr. Sack has pleaded not guilty to the federal criminal charges and is presumed innocent unless proven guilty. His trial is currently set for January 12, 2027.

Is There a Deadline to Act?

Legal deadlines can apply to some claims, particularly parents' claims, and they vary by claim and by the facts of each family's situation. An attorney can review which deadlines apply to your family.

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