Northwell Sleep Disorders Lawsuit: Hidden Cameras Scandal Updates and Deadlines 2025

The Northwell Sleep Disorders Lawsuit has rocked New York. Over 250 patients, staff, and visitors claim hidden cameras recorded them in bathrooms at Northwell Health’s Sleep Disorders Center and a nearby rehab facility. If you visited, you may be part of the case.

What Led to the Hidden Cameras Scandal

Northwell Health is a large healthcare system in New York, known for services like sleep disorder treatment. The Sleep Disorders Center in Great Neck, NY, helps people with issues like sleep apnea. But in 2024, a big problem came to light: a worker was accused of putting hidden cameras in bathrooms to record people without their knowledge.

The recordings targeted private moments, like using the toilet or showering. This violated trust between patients and the hospital. The scandal also hit the STARS Rehabilitation Center in the same area. Prosecutors say the cameras captured hundreds of videos, including kids.

Northwell says they acted fast by reporting it to police, but critics argue they waited too long to tell people.

What Happened: Key Allegations in the Northwell Sleep Disorders Lawsuit

A former employee named Sanjai Syamaprasad is at the center of this. He worked as a sleep technician at the Northwell Sleep Disorders Center. From August 2022 to April 2024, he allegedly installed fake smoke detectors with cameras inside. These were stuck on walls with Velcro, often right above toilets.

At the end of his shifts, he’d remove the devices and save the videos.

In April 2024, another worker caught him watching a video on his laptop. Northwell fired him right away and called the police. Syamaprasad tried to destroy evidence by burning memory cards and throwing away devices, but police found some. Over 300 videos were recovered, showing the scale of the breach.

The civil lawsuit, filed in July 2025, claims Northwell was negligent. They didn’t spot the cameras for almost two years, failed to supervise staff, and waited over a year to notify victims (until May 2025).

About 13,000 notification letters went out to possible victims, including patients from the Sleep Disorders Center (13,332 people), STARS Rehab (6,195), and another related facility (1,353).

Victims say this caused emotional harm, like fear of public bathrooms or anxiety about privacy. The lawsuit seeks compensation for invasion of privacy, emotional distress, and more.

Key Parties Involved in the Northwell Sleep Disorders Lawsuit

• Plaintiffs: Over 250 patients, staff, and visitors, including kids and adults. Multiple class action lawsuits are ongoing, led by firms like German Rubenstein LLP, Merson Law, and others.
• Defendant: Northwell Health: Accused of failing to protect privacy. They run the Sleep Disorders Center and STARS Rehab.
• Individual: Sanjai Syamaprasad: The ex-employee who pleaded guilty. He’s also named in some suits.
• Prosecutors: Nassau County DA Anne Donnelly pushed for jail time but was disappointed with the probation sentence.

Timeline of Events

Here’s a simple timeline of the Northwell hidden cameras case:

Latest Updates as of August 2025

As of August 11, 2025, the civil lawsuit is active and growing. More people are joining after getting notification letters. Syamaprasad’s plea deal for probation has upset victims and the DA, who wanted prison time. Northwell says they cooperated with police and value privacy, but lawsuits claim they delayed notifications to avoid bad press.

No settlement has been announced yet, but law firms are pushing for it. Some cases are in Kings County and Nassau County courts

Deadlines and How to Join the Lawsuit

Time is important in privacy breach cases due to statutes of limitations (usually 1-3 years in New York for these claims). If you visited the Sleep Disorders Center or STARS Rehab between August 2022 and April 2024, act fast.

• Notification Deadline: If you got a letter in May 2025, contact a lawyer right away.
• Joining Class Action: No strict deadline yet, but firms like Sokolove Law or German Rubenstein LLP say to reach out by end of 2025 to avoid missing out.
• Filing Individual Claims: If not in the class, you have until around April 2026-2027, depending on when you learned about it.
• Evidence Submission: Share visit records or concerns with lawyers for free reviews.

Potential compensation could cover emotional distress, therapy costs, and punitive damages. Past similar cases paid thousands per victim.

Implications and What It Means for Patients

This scandal shows why hospitals must check staff and spaces regularly. It affects trust in healthcare, especially for sleep disorder patients who already feel vulnerable. If you’re impacted, joining the lawsuit can help get justice and push for better privacy rules.

Northwell has reported the breach to health authorities, like HHS, for further review.

Conclusion: Stay Informed on the Northwell Lawsuit

Broader lessons: Always report odd devices in private areas.

Need Help? Get a Free Legal Consultation

Our dedicated legal team specializes in such cases. We offer free, no-obligation consultations to assess your eligibility.