On April 17, 2007, plaintiff Teresa D. Green, 51, was terminated from her position as a hospital activities director at the Las Flores Convalescent Hospital in Gardina, allegedly for failing to supervise an injured patient. She had worked at Las Flores, which operated as Liabco, LLC, for more than 20 years.
On March 30, Green went on a work-related errand, and while she was away, a wheelchair-bound patient went to an outside patio to smoke and severely burned himself by lighting his beard on fire.
Green sued Las Flores and owner/administrator Liab Greenspoon, alleging that her termination partly resulted from her refusal to lie about the patient’s injury to the California Department of Health Services. Green claimed that the agency was investigating the patient’s injury and Greenspoon asked her to lie about the circumstances.
Green asserted that, since new management took control in January 2006, patient care and safety were deteriorating and residents and their families were complaining.
She further alleged that her termination was direct punishment for her complaints of sexual harassment by another individual in the activities department.
Las Flores denied that allegations, asserting that Green fabricated everything, and that she was responsible for the patient’s burns.
Green alleged depression and emotional distress.
She claimed loss of income because she was unemployed for 10 months and was then forced to take a position with a lower salary and no benefits.
The jury was asked to decide upon liability and punitive damages.
The jury awarded Green $2,474,172 in compensatory and punitive damages.
Teresa D. Green
$1,237,086 Personal Injury: Punitive Exemplary Damages
$59,166 Personal Injury: Past Lost Earnings Capability
$177,920 Personal Injury: FutureLostEarningsCapability
$750,000 Personal Injury: Past Pain And Suffering
$250,000 Personal Injury: Future Pain And Suffering
Motions for attorney fees and costs are pending.