Jefferson Parish judge will give ruling Monday on Bob Dean nursing home settlement

by Cassie Schirm

JEFFERSON PARISH, La. — A Jefferson Parish judge rule on a proposed class-action settlement over nursing home owner Bob Dean Jr.'s deadly evacuation of 843 Louisiana residents during Hurricane Ida will happen Monday.

Dean is accused of evacuating seven nursing homes to a warehouse in Independence.

Conditions in the warehouse in Tangipahoa Parish quickly deteriorated, with one lawsuit claiming things were "horrific."

At least four people died, and the state quickly shut down the site and transferred residents.

Records show Dean wasn't there and ignored staff begging for help.

Since then, Dean has been, according to his attorneys, diagnosed with dementia at age 69 and under guardianship. His wife, Karen Dean, has been named his guardian.

Back in September, the class action council and the plaintiff attorneys met to discuss an all-or-nothing class action settlement that would be paid through insurance and give each resident roughly $17,000. That is not including attorney fees and costs.

Some lawyers requested additional time to determine if Dean has more money or assets to put toward a settlement.

In this week's hearings, Dean's attorneys argued that Dean is now at least $40 million in debt and now owes over $73 million in lawsuit judgments and that there was no way he would ever get out of the red.

Attorneys went on to say that he had no more money to give after having everything taken away from him.

Even though he was subpoenaed, Dean did not show up to court this week.

Matthew Hemmer, an attorney for the Morris Bart law firm, pushed back pointing out that Dean has not filed for bankruptcy, and they have not seen his full financials. Saying there could be more assets in the dozens of properties possibly connected.

Hemmer said if there is more money, the families have a right to fight for it.

"That's really what we're trying to get at," Hemmer said. "We want them to have the choice to be able to say this is a fair deal or no we want to chase them for more, that's what it comes down to. Should the victims have a choice."

Attorney Rob Couhig, co-class counsel, said the time is now as it's costing the families more by dragging it out mentally and financially saying the debt for Dean grows by $12,500 a day.

“We can’t bring back those five days, but we can make it a little bit better for the families and those who have survived,” Couhig said. “These people are dying. They’re old."

Since the evacuation over a year ago, attorneys believe more than 100 residents have passed away.

District Judge Michael Mentz said he would give a ruling by Monday on whether to approve the all-or-nothing class action settlement.

Full Article & Source:
Jefferson Parish judge will give ruling Monday on Bob Dean nursing home settlement