The Washington State Court of Appeals unanimously affirmed a jury verdict that ordered Seattle Children’s to pay $21 million to Dr. Benjamin Danielson. The case concerned the creation of a racially hostile work environment and resulted in years of litigation.
Dr. Danielson, a Black physician who led the Odessa Brown pediatric clinic for more than two decades, filed suit in October 2023 after his resignation. The clinic, named for a civil-rights activist, was founded in 1969 to combat racial disparities in access to health care. It is part of the Odessa Brown Children’s Clinic network and specializes in pediatrics, dental care and behavioral health, serving predominantly low-income families and communities of color in Seattle, including African American and Latino patients. Its key role is to provide affordable, culturally tailored medical care where traditional hospitals are often inaccessible to these groups. Dr. Danielson accused hospital leadership of systemic racism and said he faced retaliation after raising concerns. A jury sided with him after a 16-day trial.
At trial, Danielson testified that for 21 years hospital staff questioned his intelligence and professional competence. He said he felt he had to be “twice as good” as white colleagues and pointed to discriminatory treatment of patients of other races, including unjustified use of security on Black children.
A pivotal piece of evidence was a 2007 incident in which the president of the hospital’s research institute used a racial slur toward Danielson. Administration took no action even after the matter was reported to senior leadership. The Court of Appeals rejected the hospital’s argument that the incident was time-barred, finding it was part of a continuous hostile environment.
Seattle Children’s representatives expressed disappointment with the ruling but said they would not pursue further appeal. The hospital emphasized its commitment to providing high-quality, equitable care for children. Danielson’s attorney called the decision a victory for justice, and Dr. Danielson continues his medical career at the University of Washington, a leading academic medical center in the region. The University of Washington includes a medical school, research institutes and the UW Medicine hospital system, is the largest employer in Seattle and a center for cutting-edge research. It often partners with community clinics like Odessa Brown on clinical trials and physician training, providing resources and expertise to improve the quality of care.
Based on: $21M racial discrimination verdict against Seattle Children’s stands