NEW ORLEANS — A St. Tammany Parish woman is suing health care providers, alleging negligence in failing to supervise employees.
Pamela S. Ferrand filed a lawsuit July 29 in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana against Acadia Healthcare Company, Inc., Crossroads Regional Hospital LLC, doing business as Greenbriar Behavioral Health Hospital and Crossroads Regional Hospital LLC of Louisiana, alleging negligence in failing to properly screen an employee before hiring him.
According to the complaint, in August 2015, Ferrand was in the outpatient therapy program at Greenbriar Behavioral Health Hospital. The suit says on multiple occasions, Timothy Smith, an employee for the defendants, engaged in grossly inappropriate sexual misconduct with her and pressured her to have sex with him.
The lawsuit states Smith's actions caused Ferrand to be emotionally traumatized, increased her anxiety, triggered repressed memories of childhood abuse and caused her to suffer exacerbated symptoms from a prior rape.
The plaintiff alleges the defendants failed to act when made aware of Smith's inappropriate sexual behavior toward their female mental health patients.
Ferrand seeks a trial by jury, damages plus legal interest, legal costs and all relief as required. She is represented by attorneys Frank E. Lamothe III and Richard M. Martin, Jr. of Lamothe Law Firm LLC in New Orleans.
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana Case number 2:16-cv-13457