Settlement Reached In Case Involving Former Sonora Physical Therapist

Published Sep 24, 2026 6:18 am

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Sonora, CA — An $18.5 million settlement agreement has been reached in a case involving a former physical therapist at Adventist Health Sonora, Jason Elias.

We first reported on the lawsuit in August of 2024. The law firm Lewis & Llewellyn LLP represented seven women who alleged that they were sexually abused by Elias, who had worked in the community for decades.

The firm announced that the settlement with Sonora Community Hospital d/b/a Adventist Health Sonora will be divided among the seven women, approximately $2.64 million per woman.

The firm adds that the women alleged that Elias targeted patients who came to him in pain and at vulnerable moments in their lives, isolated them in private treatment rooms, and sexually assaulted them under the guise of providing medical treatment. They also alleged that reports were made about it, but they were not taken seriously.

According to the complaint filed in Tuolumne County Superior Court, the plaintiffs – all adult women who sought treatment for injuries and chronic pain – were assigned to Elias and allegedly subjected to escalating sexual abuse during treatment sessions.

The seven women alleged lasting harm: post-traumatic stress, depression, anxiety, insomnia, damaged relationships, and a fear of medical settings severe enough that some have avoided necessary medical care entirely.

The attorneys note that it is one of the nation’s largest per-plaintiff recoveries in a sexual abuse case involving a medical provider.

The law firm adds that Elias has since lost his license to practice as a physical therapist in California.