I am looking for a lawyer (who can practice in California) to help me out with this negligence/ medical malpractice situation.

In March of 2004, my mother- and brother-in-law forced me from my home and into my husbands van (literally pushed me out and picked me up.) I bit my mother-in-law on the hand as this was happening, to get her to let me go. She hit me upside the head. My husband drove, as my hands were being held like a prisoner, to a mental hospital.
Outside of the hospital, an admissions clerk was waiting for us (I believe my husband phoned ahead.) There might have also been a nurse, but I am absolutely sure that there was NO DOCTOR PRESENT. (5150 = gravely disabled or a threat to oneself or others and ONLY a professional i.e. police officer or doctor can label this)

My in-laws claimed that I was in need of psychiatric care. When the admissions guy said that I had to be a danger to myself or others, the mother-in-law showed him the bite on her hand (no blood, not even a mark so he had to take her word for it.) The bite was in self-defense as I was being abducted and unlawfully imprisoned!

I tried to leave (I am a paraplegic from a spinal cord injury) by simply pushing my wheelchair away, but the admissions guy held my shoulders and I couldn’t move. He had no right to restrain me or even touch me. He is just a desk clerk who answers the phones, not a professional nor a law enforcement officer. If they wanted me detained and kept from getting away, they would have had to let me go and convince a police officer to detain me and bring me back to establish if I was 5150 (a danger to myself or others.) Also, if I was able-bodied and not in a wheelchair, I could have simply walked/ ran away, but they took advantage of the fact that I am disabled.

I was admitted into the hospital, involuntarily, based ONLY on the fact that I had bit my mother-in-law and with no regard to the fact that she was assaulting me when I did it.
The following is from the doctor’s report upon my admission:
“She denies any imminent suicidal or homicidal ideation. No delusions, obsessions or compulsions noted. No perceptual disturbance. She was awake, alert, and oriented with good immediate, recent and remote memory and good attention and concentration. Her intelligence is above average. Her abstract thinking is good. Hs insight and judgment are fair.”

That is hardly a description of someone who needs to be forced into a psychiatric hospital. I was NOT gravely disabled or a threat to others or myself. There is a part in the doctor’s report that says my hygiene and grooming and dress were appropriate and good. (I could take care of myself.)

I was admitted and they gave me Librium- A LOT of Librium. I can barely remember the next few days. I remember they put me in the Older Adult Patient Unit because they were unsure of what I could do by myself (although I did hygiene and dressing and grooming on my own while I was there.) After 3 days I signed myself in voluntarily because my husband said he would take me to St. Vincent’s (a homeless shelter) if I showed up at home. Why didn’t one of the nurses do anything about that? They just let my husband abuse me like that? (Also, by signing myself in my name went to the Department of Justice and will remain on a list for 5 years. I cannot purchase a gun and this blemish will appear when a potential employer does a background check.) I was then sent to a lock down unit and I don’t even remember being there. This part has me so angry. They had me on WAY too much Librium (or if they were giving me anything else- I am not sure.) I don’t know how long I was there; I only know I was there because I later ran into someone who had been there also and she told me from where I knew her. I don’t know how much time I spent in the lock down unit.

I eventually was put in a Chemical Dependency Unit (I am a sober, non-practicing alcoholic but had relapsed and had been drinking for one day – the day before this happened. When my in-laws arrived, I was merely sleeping it off on the couch. Not passed out, not drinking anymore, just sleeping.) I spent about 20 days in the Chemical Dependency Unit.

I am so angry at this situation and am surprised that I have been unable to find anyone who thinks this case is of worth. I talked to one lawyer, who used to be a judge, and he saw merit in this case (a case of negligence) but I haven’t heard from him and would prefer someone else. I hear about so many lawsuits for things much smaller than being forced into a hospital, held and drugged; it is hard for me to believe I cannot sue the hospital for negligence, malpractice or unlawful imprisonment. This was a horrible, terrible thing that happened to me. It was a factor in the end of my marriage.

I believe the Statute-of-limitations for negligence is two years in California (where this occurred.) This occurred in March of 2004. I really want to sue the hospital and need to act quickly because of the SOL. Can anyone help me?

I no longer live in California; correspondence would have to be by phone or email.