Caretaker Convicted In Death Of Elderly Woman

We have learned that a man who pushed a 93-year-old woman out a door and onto concrete has been convicted in her death.

William Forrest Sutton, a 69-year-old man, was convicted of second-degree murder in the incident and sentenced to 15 years to life in prison. The incident took place in 2016 when Margaret Wood went to visit her friend and got into an argument with her caretaker. Sutton pushed Wood out of her friend’s home, which is how she sustained the injuries. He fled the scene but was arrested the next day.

At Hiden, Rott & Oertle, LLP, this incident leaves us with many questions. While we are glad that justice was served, we see the potential for this to become a wrongful death case against both Sutton and the people who employed and placed him in the home to work.

We know that there are many ways in which other people’s negligence and reckless behavior causes other people great harm. If you need a San Diego wrongful death attorney, contact us today.

An Unexpected Nightmare

The loss of a loved one due to another person’s negligence can be devastating and that you want answers.

• How did this happen?

• Who is liable for their death?

• Who can help me through this?

Wrongful death cases arise when someone is killed as a result of the careless, negligent, or wrongful act of another person, company, or agency.The cases are typically brought by surviving family members. Today, we will go over some of the common ways in which we see these cases come up, but this list is by no means complete. Always speak with a qualified attorney about your particular situation.

• Law enforcement brutality: As we have seen on the news over the last few years, there are times when law enforcement personnel and jailers use excessive force on a person they are trying to apprehend or who is already in custody.

• Medical malpractice: Medical errors are the third leading cause of death in the US. On average, 250,000 people a year are killed because of mistakes made by healthcare professionals.

• Defective products: We see the major recalls on the news each week, but that is only a fraction of the total amount of items we use on a regular basis that can cause us harm.

• Workplace accidents: If an employer does not take the steps necessary to keep workers safe, or if they disregard safety laws and regulations, they could be held liable for an employees death.

• Vehicle accidents: Often, a driver’s negligence causes fatalities on the roadway. We often see this as a result of drunk or distracted drivers.

What You Can Do Now

If you have lost a loved one due to the negligence of another person, seek legal assistance as soon as possible. At Hiden, Rott & Oertle LLP, we want to help you secure the compensation you deserve. This can include covering funeral and burial costs, recovering lost income of the deceased, pain and suffering damages, as well as punitive damages. If you need a San Diego wrongful death attorney, you can contact us for a free consultation by clicking here or calling our office.