UMC patients claim improper restraint

Two people brought to University Medical Center for routine physical examinations have filed a lawsuit against the hospital alleging they were held against their will in leather restraints.

The lawsuit was filed Wednesday in Clark County District Court. Also named in the suit is Emergency Physicians Medical Group, registered nurse H. Kate Lawlor and Drs. Art Wong, David Golan and James Fenner.

Hamilton Moore, the attorney representing Erin Lale and Christian Crosier, said his clients were unjustly restrained for 7 1/2 hours while awaiting physical examinations.

The hospital does have a restraint policy, which stipulates that restraints only be used upon a physician's verbal or written order. It also says restraints can only be used if a patient is combative and there is a potential danger of harm to self or others.

Moore said his clients' cases don't fit these circumstances.

"If they would have followed their own written policy, nothing like this would have happened," Moore said. "There was no real evidence these people were a danger. There is no reason why it (an exam) should have taken several hours."

Lale, who had sought counseling in the past, went to the Southern Nevada Adult Mental Health Center, 6161 W. Charleston Blvd., on May 13, 1997. She said she went there after thinking about committing suicide. As a matter of policy, the mental health center sent her to UMC for a routine physical.

Moore said Crosier was sent to the hospital by a roommate who thought he had too much to drink.

Trish Lampro, a spokeswoman for UMC, said the hospital could not comment on a pending lawsuit.

H. Jill Smith, director of the Nevada Disability Advocacy and Law Center, has previously told the Las Vegas Sun that her agency had taken affidavits from several other individuals who have been restrained against their will at UMC.

"Persons with mental illness have been restrained at UMC as a matter of policy and were not showing signs of being dangerous," Smith said. "It's consistently security guards," who have restrained patients, she said.

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