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Usher Got It Bad, Reportedly Paying Woman $1.1M for Not Disclosing Herpes Diagnosis
These are his confessions — kinda, sorta… According to legal documents obtained by Radar Online, Usher is reportedly living with herpes — and was forced to settle for $1.1 million after he failed to disclose the condition to a former partner before having unprotected sex.
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The document — which was filed in 2012 — states, “Getting infected with genital herpes from Raymond has devastated [named redacted]. She feels that her health and body have been ruined. From the day she was infected continuing to the present, [name redacted] has suffered severe emotional distress and has been extremely depressed. In May 2012, she cried all the time and did not want to leave her house. Not a day has gone by where she does not feel desolation and despair about her herpes infection knowing that there is no cure. Her infection has destroyed her sense of self, wholeness, health, and beauty and she fears that she will never be able to have the type of relationship she had hoped for.”
According to the paperwork, the unnamed stylist believes that the “Yeah!” singer, 38, contracted the sexually transmitted disease back in 2010, and knowingly had unprotected sex with her without disclosing his diagnosis. The court papers argue, “By engaging in unprotected sex with her without disclosing his infection, Raymond knowingly and consciously exposed [redacted] to the virus and did not give her the opportunity to protect herself from infection.” The documents recovered by Radar reveal that Usher agreed to a $1.1 million settlement.
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So far, Usher has not responded to the allegations. In the document, it would appear that he was remorseful for any potential wrongdoing, as it states, “In a series of telephone conversations and online chat sessions, Raymond has apologized for infecting [her] and told her he would take care of things.”
According to the CDC, one out of every six people aged 14 to 49 has genital herpes. Dr. Janet Prystowsky is a leading board certified dermatologist and the founder of Livid Skin Care and she explained how to best protect yourself against the sexually transmitted disease.
“Even if your partner does not have active lesions — i.e. blisters, crusts, etc. — they may still shed the live virus through their saliva or secretions,” she told In Touch. “While risk of transmission of the infection is lower when there are no active lesions, it is not zero. Condoms can help but are not a guaranteed protection since herpes lesions can often be outside of a condom’s area of protection. TO ensure that you do not become infected with herpes, ask your partner about their sexual history and STD status. If your partner has herpes (oral or genital), and you want to be extra cautious speak to your doctor about taking an oral antiviral when you are likely to be at risk.”
