Rosemarie Safarian says her doctor’s conduct during routine visits became increasingly inappropriate, eventually crossing the line into sexual assault.

“He was trying to get into my underwear,” Safarian recalls. “I had to fight him off.”

Safarian says the physician, Dr. Carl Renner, of Hasbrouck Heights, became more aggressive with each visit until she finally reached the breaking point and filed a police report.

“I told them I was sexually assaulted and molested by my primary care physician,” she recalls. “And when I said it out loud, it just became so real.”

She isn’t the only one. Suzanne Brown says that Renner also assaulted her.

“He would kiss me forcefully and put his tongue in my mouth,” Brown says. I had gone in for a chest cold and ended up having a pelvic exam with no explanation as to why.”

After multiple patients complained to police, Renner pleaded guilty to sexual assault. He was sentenced to probation and agreed to surrender his medical license.

Safarian, Brown and another patient are now suing the medical practice, Osler Medical Group, arguing it should be held responsible for failing to protect patients after multiple complaints. They contend the practice had received complaints about inappropriate behavior by Renner for years.

“It is very obvious that the practice knew that there was something off with Dr. Renner and there were issues going on there,” says Kate Carballo, an attorney who is representing Safarian and Brown. “And rather than terminating his employment, the practice continued to employ him for many, many years.”

Kane In Your Corner contacted the law firm for Osler Medical Group but the attorney said it would be inappropriate for them to comment before the case goes to trial. Jury selection is expected to begin next week.

“I know that there are a lot of other women out there who were done wrong,” Safarian says. “Somebody needs to stand up and take responsibility.”