Wyoming Hospital Faces Trial Over Employee’s Assault of Patient

A mentally ill woman’s parents can proceed with their lawsuit to recover damages from a public hospital in Wyoming where she allegedly was sexually assaulted by a hospital employee, as the state waived its immunity from suit, the state’s top court said Thursday.

The Wyoming Claims Act’s waiver of sovereign immunity from lawsuits for damages resulting from bodily injuries caused by the negligence of health-care providers employed by the state—including contract physicians, physician assistants, nurses, optometrists, and dentists—isn’t limited to medical malpractice actions, the Wyoming Supreme Court said.

Rather, the statutory waiver unambiguously applies to any claims arising out ...