A second lawsuit has named the Arrowhead Narconon facility for the wrongful death of one of its patients seeking treatment for drug abuse, and marks it as the third death at the same facility in approximately nine months, as reported by News Talk Radio KRMG and other media outlets.
G.G., 32, sought treatment in the Arrowhead rehabilitation center in October of 2011.
The Richardson Richardson Boudreaux Keesling law firm (KRMG) is handling this suit, along with an earlier suit filed on behalf of the parents of 20 year-old S.M. that died while under the care of Arrowhead Narconon.
The G.G. case was filed on behalf of the man's mother, S.G., in Pittsburg County District Court on October 24. According to KRMG the defendants include "Narconon of Oklahoma (NO), d/b/a Narconon Arrowhead, an Oklahoma corporation; Narconon International (NI), a foreign corporation based in California; Association for Better Living and Education International (ABLE), a foreign corporation based in California; and (G.W.), DO, M.Ed., medical director of Narconon of Oklahoma."
The suit hinges on identifying that Narconon Arrowhead, and all L. Ron Hubbard treatment facilities, fail to address drug and alcohol rehabilitation but instead, adhere to the set dogma of the Church of Scientology programs to cure addictions.
The suit states, "NO, NI, and ABLE all rely exclusively on the written 'technology' of L. Ron Hubbard, founder of the Church of Scientology, to address the drug and alcohol rehabilitation needs of students enrolled in Narconon programs. This misplaced reliance is despite the fact that Hubbard had no known training or education in the field of drug and alcohol rehabilitation. However, instead of providing drug rehabilitation, the defendants have concealed and continue to conceal the Narconon program's true relationship with ABLE by teaching the Hubbard technology."
KRMG relies heavily on the fact that there are now three deaths linked to false information garnered from the Narconon website and officials in the facility.
Lead counsel Gary Richardson wrote that the "circumstances of the deaths of (G.G.) and (S.M.) have numerous similarities. Both of these young adults were addicted to drugs and were introduced to Narconon when they sought treatment. They and their parents were provided misleading information on the Narconon website and by Narconon representatives, which led them to believe that Narconon Arrowhead would be a safe and effective treatment facility. The misrepresentations provided extended to the active concealment of the Narconon program's true relationship with ABLE and the teachings of L. Ron Hubbard, founder of the Church of Scientology. In addition, Narconon Arrowhead fraudulently misrepresents to potential students that a physician is on staff 24 hours a day. Instead, a physician is present only once a week."
Both the G.G. and S.M. cases are seeking over $75,000 in damages. The three causes include action, wrongful death and the violation of the Oklahoma Consumer Protection Act.
Punitive damages are also being sought in an effort to "punish the defendants and deter such reckless conduct in the future."
Loosing a loved one, while under the care of a facility or hospital, may be grounds for a wrongful death lawsuit. Click here for our directory and contact a personal injury lawyer to recover your damages.