Sunday, January 23, 2011

Historic Wisconsin Verdict Rules for 3rd Party False Memory Plaintiff

This morning, an email from the False Memory Syndrome Foundation reported:

"A jury in Madison, Wisconsin returned its verdict at approximately 1:00 a.m. Sunday morning January 23, 2011 in the case Charles and Karen Johnson brought against the the Rogers Memorial Hospital chain of psychiatric hospitals in Wisconsin. The jury found doctors negligent in two of the three counts and awarded Karen and Charles Johnson $1 million."  

The Johnsons had alleged "negligent treatment of their adult daughter, Charlotte, by various therapists and a hospital."

According to an earlier appeal in the case, "The court first determined that the Johnsons' claims of negligence and negligent infliction of emotional distress against three therapists for implanting false memories of sexual and physical abuse in their child must be dismissed based on public policy concerns of confidentiality in the therapist-patient relationship."