An alleged murder and cover-up at drug treatment center Passages left the fallout of an unexplained death, fired employees, a county conspiracy investigation, a citywide lawsuit, and employee wrongful termination suits, surrounding the alleged murder of Gregory Link, discovered dead one day into treatment with a bag over his head, bruises and scratches on his body, at the Ventura County CA facility on April 24, 2015, as alleged by wife Lani Link, represented by Eric Traut of Traut Firm, in a new suit filed on March 21, 2016, in the Ventura County Superior Court.
“Within a day of my husband arriving at treatment I learned of his suspicious death,” says plaintiff Link of Honolulu, Hawaii, of her late husband Gregory Link. “I did not believe for one second it was suicide. The loss I have suffered is incalculable”
The alleged unlawful conduct began when Passages sold Link a service they are not authorized to provide, for anxiety rather than substance abuse. Upon arrival at Passages, Gregory Link was placed with a roommate alleged to be known as aggressive. Hours later, Link was found dead on his first night in treatment, with a bag over his head and signs of a struggle. Trade publications report Passages did not adequately report the event to authorities in the effort to protect their high profile image and avoid negative publicity, even firing those employees who refused to participate in the cover-up. [https://www.thefix.com/former-employee-sues-passages-malibu-after-patient’s-death]
Link’s attorney, Eric Traut of Traut Firm, has represented individuals in numerous similar wrongful death cases and has found that sometimes institutional greed trumps personal safety in medical and therapeutic facilities, saying, “It is hard to fathom the tremendous loss felt by Ms. Link and it is my goal through this lawsuit that in the future those pursuing help or treatment may receive it without fear of harm or death.”
Traut is suing for damages including wrongful death, emotional distress, negligent hiring, fraud, concealment, conspiracy, burial expenses and loss of love.
ABOUT ERIC V. TRAUT: Eric Traut distinguished himself early as one of the top trial attorneys in Southern California when he was recognized as the youngest winner of the prestigious Trial Lawyer of the Year award in the history of the Orange County Trial Lawyer Association. Eric has handled high-profile cases that have resulted in appearances on Good Morning America, Fox News, Court T.V., and ABC's "Primetime." Eric is rated AV Preeminent by Martindale Hubbell's, and is among fewer than 100 California attorneys certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy as a civil trial specialist. http://www.erictrautattorney.com
ABOUT TRAUT FIRM: Partners of Traut Firm have litigated cases for a combined 59 years, serving as plaintiff’s attorneys primarily in areas of personal injury, legal malpractice, vehicle accidents and workplace accidents. http://trautfirm.com
