Mental Health Care / Suicide Prevention

Losorelli v. County of Los Angeles, CV14-05062-R(SH) –  Representing the parents of the decedent who committed suicide at Men’s Central Jail. Plaintiffs claimed flagrant deliberate indifference by both the Sheriff’s Department and the Department of Mental Health, and their respective employees in the care and treatment of decedent. The case settled for $1.6 Million, and triggered substantial policy changes in the protection of those inmates suffering from mental illness who are in custody in the County of Los Angeles jails.

S.C. v. Superintendent David Finley, et al., CV 09-3956-GHK(Ex) – Case against California Department of Corrections for failure to provide mental health care to a minor ward in juvenile custody. Sixteen year old plaintiff with bipolar disorder suffered brain damage resulting from attempted suicide through hanging. Case settled for $2.25 Million

Frank Lucero v. Dr. Hoan Nguyen, et al., CV 09-2151-GAF(AGRx) – Case against the California Department of Corrections for failing to provide medical care. Inmate, who was blind in eye, failed to receive necessary glaucoma treatment, resulting in the rupture of eye ball. Case settled for $585,000

Bisselli et al. v. Ventura County Sheriff’s Department, et al., CV 09-8694 CAS(Ex) (C.D. Cal.) – Case challenging suicide prevention policies and inadequate mental health care of Ventura County Jail. Pretrial detainee with history of serious mental health conditions, incompetency, and suicidality was housed in administrative segregation without regular treatment or health care monitoring. Detainee committed suicide when left unsupervised. Case settled for $775,000

R.C. et al. v. County of Los Angeles, CV 11-09613-DDP(PJWx) – Case against the County of Los Angeles on behalf of deceased inmate’s mother and wife for preventable suicide in Men’s Central Jail. Case settled for $350,000

C.M. v. United States et al. CV 13-02097-CBM(RZx) – Successful Federal Tort Claim Act suit against the Bureau of Prisons and Metropolitan Detention Center Los Angeles for failure to treat pneumonia. Settled for $200,000.00 (Just $50,000 below the $250,000 cap on non-economic damages.

Loberg v. County of Los Angeles, CV16-06190-RAO – Lead counsel representing the daughters of the decedent who committed suicide at Twin Towers facility in LA County Jail. Plaintiffs claimed flagrant deliberate indifference by both the Sheriff’s Department and the Department of Mental Health, and their respective employees in the care and treatment of decedent. The case settled for $1.7 Million, and triggered substantial policy changes in the protection of those inmates suffering from mental illness who are in custody in the County of Los Angeles jails, e.g., housing in higher observation mental health monitoring facilities.

[The client portrayed is an actor and this is a dramatization]