Estate of Matthew Steven Barker v. Cari Garza

VERDICT

Trial
10/28/15 – 11/24/15

Summary

A California state court jury has awarded $216,450 to the mother of a mentally ill 20-year-old who died after overdosing on narcotic pain medication provided to him by a former psychiatric nurse with whom he had maintained a sexual relationship.

The jury found on December 1, following a trial that began in October, that Cari Garza, who treated plaintiff Marilyn Smith’s son Matthew Barker while he was a patient at the Aurora Las Encina Hospital in Pasadena, was negligent in giving Barker a non-prescribed Fentanyl patch that contributed to his death in 2008. Jurors awarded $650,000 to Smith, herself an attorney specializing in elder and dependent adult abuse cases, but the amount was reduced due to Barker and his mother also being found partially responsible for his death.

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Outcome

$216,450 awarded to plaintiff

Case Information
Attorneys
Witnesses
Plaintiff
Defense
Verdict
$216,450
Judge
William Stewart
Jurisdiction
Superior Court of California, Los Angeles
Court
Burbank Courthouse
Case Number
GC045404
Industry
Health care
Practice Area
Pharmaceuticals
Plaintiff
Estate of Matthew Steven Barker
Defense
Garza, Cari
Expert Witnesses
Lay Witnesses

Sessions

OCT
28
OCT
29
NOV
2
NOV
3
NOV
4
NOV
5
AM Session
Closings
3 Chapters
NOV
23
DEC
1

Recording Disclaimer: This proceeding was recorded in full.

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