Michigan Sexual Assault Lawyers has filed a $150 Million sexual assault lawsuit on behalf of their client, Trejah Shines, against VHS of Michigan, Inc., Tenet Healthcare, Inc., VHS Sinai-Grace Hospital, Inc., and Registered Nurse Wilfredo Figueroa-Berrios.
In the lawsuit, which was filed in Wayne County Circuit Court, it is alleged that Defendant Figueroa-Berrios, while working as a Registered Nurse in the employ of the Corporate Defendants – including Detroit Medical Center’s Sinai-Grace Hospital, sexually assaulted Ms. Shines when she sought medical treatment at the Sinai Grace Hospital’s emergency department.
“In an ultimate betrayal,” Sinai-Grace Hospital “allowed a known predator unlimited access to its patients,” including “unsupervised access to their patients, sometimes for an extensive period of time,” said lead Michigan Sexual Assault Lawyers attorney Timothy A. Holland. “The worst thing here is the amount of evidence showing him to have been a known predator.”
Holland added: “Our clients trusted a medical professional and a major hospital system with their safety and wellbeing, and instead endured trauma that will affect them for life.”
At a recent press conference, legal team, led by Tim Holland, Lead Counsel for Michigan Sexual Assault Lawyers, revealed that multiple victims have now come forward with claims detailing shocking abuse that took place while they were under the medical care of Figueroa-Berrios at Sinai-Grace Hospital in Detroit.
“We truly believe that the number of survivors could be in the hundreds, and we are encouraging each and every one of them to come forward,” Holland said.
“We are looking for survivors to join the chorus of the brave people that have already come forward to have their voices heard and their stories told,” Holland explained. “We want every survivor to have their story told. We want every survivor to join us on our journey to justice with respect to [Defendants] Tenet and Sinai-Grace.”
The lawsuit alleges that on July 26, 2025, Ms. Shines visited the emergency department of Sinai Grace Hospital seeking treatment for ovarian cysts. She thought she was going to receive medical care and instead was sexually assaulted by a defendant employed by Sinai Grace Hospital as a registered nurse. According to the complaint, Defendant Figueroa-Berrios, under the pretense of performing a second pap smear after one had already been completed by a female physician, sexually assaulted Ms. Shines. Following the assault, he allegedly administered a drug that caused her to lose consciousness, during which time he again assaulted her and subjected her to further physical and sexual abuse. Ms. Shines may have been left alone with Figueroa-Berrios for over an hour during this ordeal. A rape kit later tested positive, corroborating her account, and confirmed by police testing.
The lawsuit also alleges that Defendants Tenet Healthcare, VHS of Michigan, and VHS Sinai-Grace Hospital knowingly hired Wilfredo Figueroa-Berrios despite a documented history of misconduct. Before his employment at Sinai-Grace, Figueroa-Berrios had been terminated from another hospital following multiple complaints of sexual misconduct, arrested for assault in 2019, and had posted inappropriate, sexually suggestive content on social media.
CBS News Detroit reported that Sinai-Grace issued the following statement in response to the lawsuit:
“Sinai-Grace Hospital prioritizes the safety of our patients. The hospital has rigorous processes in place to screen applicants prior to employment. There was no indication of a concern during that process. We also have processes to identify and address patient safety issues and take appropriate action. Upon becoming aware of these allegations, Sinai-Grace proactively initiated contact with and notified law enforcement and suspended the employee, who has since been terminated. We do not condone any type of abuse and are cooperating fully with law enforcement. Federal privacy laws restrict us from sharing patient-specific information.”
CBS News Detroit also reported that a second lawsuit representing another alleged victim will be filed by Michigan Sexual Assault Lawyers in a few weeks.
Click here to read Michigan Sexual Assault Lawyers’ full 46-page complaint in the $150 Million lawsuit of Shines vs. VHS of Michigan, Inc., Tenet Healthcare, Inc., VHS Sinai-Grace Hospital, Inc., and Wilfredo Figueroa-Berrios.
