California homeless man wins $2.4 million wrongful termination lawsuit however he’s nowhere to be discovered | EUROtoday

A homeless man in California has gained a $2.4 million wrongful termination lawsuit, however nobody can find him.

Eight years in the past, Daniel Ridge, 49, sued his former employer, Alameda Health System, claiming he was wrongfully fired from his job at a county morgue. He was additionally battling psychological well being points on the time.

Last month, an Alameda County Superior Court jury dominated in his favor and awarded him $2.4 million for his wrongful termination, in response to the Los Angeles Times.

When the decision dropped, Ridge was not in courtroom.

According to the paper, Ridge’s psychological situation has deteriorated during the last eight years to the purpose the place he was unable to testify in his case and finally fell into homelessness. He reported turning into estranged from his household, together with his 10-year-old son.

Even Ridge’s legal professionals can not discover him. Lawrance Bohm, Ridge’s legal professional, stated that discovering him would require a “tremendous effort.”

Donald Whitehead, the chief director for the National Coalition for the Homeless, had related considerations, telling the Times that there is solely a lot data shelters can acquire and supply when somebody is trying to find a particular particular person.

“I’ve seen many times people searching for loved ones,” he stated. “But there’s protections for people and their identity, so it’s a challenge when people get lost in the system.”

What’s identified about Ridge is that he lived someplace in California in the course of the Eighties and Nineteen Nineties. Six of his mates died in gang-related violence, and in his 20s his uncle was reportedly killed in entrance of him when a co-worker set him on hearth with a Molotov cocktail.

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Two of Ridge’s cousins died by suicide after that incident, in response to a information assertion launched by the Bohm Law Group, which represented Ridge.

“The terrible life of Mr. Ridge left him with PTSD that went undiagnosed or untreated for decades as [he] lacked the resources to treat his condition,” the legislation agency wrote.

Ridge finally turned an authorized nursing assistant and commenced working as a part-time morgue attendant at Highland Hospital in Oakland, which is run by Alameda Health System.

His work was usually complimented in his evaluations till 2013, when the morgue’s full-time attendant took a depart of absence after which retired the next yr. The full-time duties on the morgue fell to Ridge, and he was compelled to work seven days per week whereas solely receiving part-time pay.

“This meant that, among other things, Mr. Ridge did not receive any employee benefits, including health insurance,” in response to the lawsuit.

Ridge reportedly complained about his work hours and lack of correct compensation on a number of events. In 2015, the hospital opened up hiring for the full-time place and made Ridge re-interview and apply for the job he was already doing. He was in the end awarded the job.

His points along with his job continued. He complained that he was compelled to make use of a landline and go to a hospital library on a distinct flooring when he wanted to analysis medical situations referring to the our bodies within the morgue, which different staff didn’t need to do. He additionally raised considerations after the hospital modified the best way it disposed of formaldehyde, saying the brand new course of left him feeling dizzy and affected by shortness of breath and blurred imaginative and prescient.

Ridge requested for respiratory tools a number of instances however was solely granted his request after 17 months of asking.

He raised additional considerations about how the hospital dealt with our bodies, noting that some can be left on gurneys exterior the morgue with only a sheet protecting them.

“The spilling and leaking of bodily fluids from dead bodies was not only due to a lack of body bags, but also due to the fact that bodies would occasionally be delivered to the morgue with intravenous tubes still attached to them and with needles and other hospital ‘sharps’ still lying on the gurneys,” the lawsuit stated.

The attorneys claimed that Ridge’s working situations triggered his undiagnosed PTSD — which he was formally recognized with in September 2015 — resulting in him being placed on medical depart till October 4 of that yr.

After he returned to work, he suffered a panic assault and was advised by his psychiatrist to take one other six days off work.

When Ridge returned to work on November 1 — with Family Medical Leave Act paperwork that he was advised would allow him to take unpaid, job-protected depart whereas he recovered — he was advised her was being fired. He was escorted out of the hospital by legislation enforcement, and later filed his wrongful termination go well with.

According to his legal professionals, Ridge was doing alright till the pandemic hit in 2020, and his situation degraded and in the end left him homeless and disconnected from his household.

Alameda Health Systems stated in an announcement that it takes its staff’ psychological and bodily well being critically, however famous it disagreed with the jury’s verdict and prompt it could enchantment the ruling.

“After a thorough investigation, AHS determined that Mr. Ridge’s allegations were not supported by fact and that AHS acted appropriately and consistently with all laws and regulations,” it stated in an announcement. “However, AHS otherwise disagrees with the jury’s verdict and believes that, when reviewed by the Court of Appeal, the portions of the jury’s verdict favoring the plaintiff are not supported by the evidence.”