Attorney Bio | Felicia C. Curran | Experienced California Elder Abuse Attorney | California Elder Abuse Law Expert

Be sure you put your feet in the right place, then stand firm.

Abraham Lincoln

Attorney

Name: Felicia C. Curran
Education:
University of California, Berkeley, Ph.D. Candidate in Philosophy (A.B.D), 1984 University of California, Hastings College of the Law, J.D. 1987

Blog: Felicia writes about elder abuse issues in her blog, www.elderadvocacyblog.com

Publications:
"Important Amendments to California's Elder Abuse Statute Strengthen Victims' Rights to Hold Abusers Accountable" Alameda County Bar Association Magazine 39:3 at 29-31 (Summer 2008).

"Litigating Elder and Dependent Adult Abuse Cases After Delaney v. Baker" in California Civil Litigation Reporter (Vol. 28:1) December 2006.
"When Are Arbitration Agreements In Nursing Home Admissions Contracts Enforceable? Recent Cases From the Courts of Appeal" in California Civil Litigation Reporter (Vol. 29:3) June 2007.

Presentations:
Third Annual Legal Assistance for Seniors Elder Abuse Conference in Oakland, California, "Elder Abuse and Neglect in Long Term Care Settings" with Roberta Block, M.S., R.N.

Published Cases: Meriola Gotthardt v. National Railroad Passenger Corp. (AMTRAK) 191 F.3d 1148 (9th Cir. 1999); United States v. $84,740 (9th Cir. 1990) 900 F.2d 1402.

United States v. $84,740 (9th Cir. 1990) 900 F.2d 1402.

Memberships:
State Bar of California, National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys, Consumer Attorneys of California , San Francisco Trial Lawyers Association , Alameda County Bar Association

Case Highlights:

Judgment by default in the amount of $3,279,463 in an elder abuse case on behalf of an elderly woman and her daughter against a San Pablo nursing home. The judgment was entered by a judge after an evidentiary hearing in which Felicia presented evidence of how the elderly woman had suffered when the nursing home repeatedly neglected her, causing her to develop a Stage 4 bedsore that covered her buttocks. The bedsore required multiple surgeries to save the elderly woman's life. As a result of the nursing home's neglect, the elderly woman is bed-bound for the rest of her life. Felicia also presented evidence that entitled the daughter to a damage award for her own emotional distress that was based on gross acts of mistreatment of her mother she observed during visits to the nursing home.

Jury Verdict/Equitable Relief Award In the Amount of $1,025,000. In Meriola Gotthardt v. National Railroad Passenger Corp. (AMTRAK) 191 F.3d 1148 (9th Cir. 1999), Felicia and her co-counsel obtained a combined jury verdict/equitable relief award after jury trial for the female locomotive engineer in the amount of $1,025,000. The court also ordered AMTRAK to pay an additional award for the engineer's attorney fees.

Settlement in the amount of $850,000 for wrongful death and neglect of a dependent adult who became septic at long term care home. A forty-five-year-old man became physically disabled from multiple sclerosis, and went to live at a long term care facility. He was often left for hours sitting in wet diapers, causing him to develop chronic urinary tract infections. The facility's neglect of his needs caused him to become depressed and withdrawn, causing him to refuse to eat, resulting in clinical malnourishment and dehydration. He passed away after become septic, caused by the urinary tract infections. Felicia obtained a settlement on behalf of the family by presenting evidence that the managers of the facility were aware of the neglect but did nothing.

Settlement in the amount of $800,000 on behalf of an elderly disabled woman against physicians and skilled nursing facility. An elderly disabled woman in her seventies developed decubitus ulcers on her hips and buttocks during a period of immobility following a major surgery. The ulcers could have been prevented if she had been turned regularly in the hospital. Her physicians cut corners, and delayed providing her medically necessary treatment, ultimately requiring hip resection surgery. The neglect permanently altered the quality of her life and cut short her remaining years. The physicians argued that the decubitus ulcers were caused by the woman's pre-existing disabilities. The case settled after Felicia presented evidence that the physicians' neglect had caused her injuries, and which established the amount of the woman's monetary losses.

Settlement in the amount of $750,000 for wrongful death and neglect of an elderly woman who died of aspiration. An elderly woman went to live at a long term care facility. The staff of the nursing home dropped the woman, causing her to fracture her hip, but engaged in a cover up of her injury. The woman aspirated while recovering from the required hip repair surgery. Felicia established that the nursing home and physicians had liability for his death by showing medical evidence that the aspiration was brought out by the woman's severe malnutrition, caused by the nursing home’s neglect.

Settlement in the amount of $1,225,000 on behalf of two women employees of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. A supervisor of the correctional institution where the women worked had subjected them to sexual harassment and a hostile work environment for more than nine months. During the pre-trial work-up of the case, the employer was forced to admit that it had no record of the sexually harassing supervisor ever having taken sexual harassment training and that the supervisor was responsible for monitoring his own sexual harassment training (the fox guarding the chicken house).

Settlement in the amount of $900,000 pre-trial settlement in a therapist abuse case on behalf of a young woman who was victimized by her therapist. The therapist exploited her professional relationship with the young woman to induce the woman to have sexual relations with her. The young woman was severely traumatized by the therapist's abuse, and the settlement provided funds for the medical care and therapy the young woman needed to recover from the abuse.