Jury Awards $7.75 Million To Victim of Elder Abuse
A jury awarded $7.75 million to the family of a 71-year-old who filed a lawsuit against the Fillmore Convalescent Center, which is located in Ventura County, California
The most controversial and convincing evidence was a secret videotape of the elderly woman being subject to abuse. The jury deliberated for two days before announcing the verdict, which included $5 million in punitive damages.
In 2006, Maria Arellano’s family kept noticing that she was bruised and she appeared to be suffering from lack of care. Management was contacted and a complaint was lodged, however the center dismissed the complaint without even investigating the family’s concerns. Ms. Arellano’s family felt they were justified in their concerns so they set up a hidden video camera on a table in her room.
Gregory Johnson, the family’s attorney, said the videotape showed Monica Garcia, a Fillmore employee slapping Ms. Arellano, pulling her hair, bending her neck, fingers and wrists, and treating her in an abrupt and combative manner while she was using a shower chair. Garcia was criminally charged and pleaded no contest to simple battery in February.
In early December the Fillmore Convalescent received a “five-star rating”, the highest, from the Nursing Home Compare system, operated by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
For more information about nursing home negligence and elder abuse please contact Bahe Cook Cantley & Jones, PLC attorney John Bahe directly at (502) 587-2002.
