Text 8. Doctor Found Guilty of Elder Abuse

From a news story by

CNN San Francisco Reporter James Hattori

A jury in Northern California has found a physician liable for elder abuse because he failed to administer enough pain medication for a terminally ill patient. The jury awarded one-and-a-half million dollars to the patient's family.

William Bergman's children say they knew the odds were against them in court, but a jury found the doctor who treated their father in his dying days was reckless and liable for elderly abuse because he didn't prescribe enough pain medication.

Robert Bergman, the patient's son says, "We knew that if we told our story, we told the truth, and um put it in front of people, that uh hopefully they would see where we were coming from and that this did not need to happen."

85-year-old William Bergman, a terminal cancer patient, died in February 1998 after spending six days at Eden Medical Center in Castro Valley, California. Bergman's children say he suffered needlessly because Dr. Wing Chin didn't administer enough painkillers.

Beverly Bergman, the patient's daughter, says, "When you're reckless [and] you're treating a person with chronic pain or intractable pain, there are consequences. think that's what the jury said today."

During the month-long trial, Dr Chin testified that he followed established pain management protocols.

Bob Slattery, Dr. Chin's defense lawyer says, "Quite frankly I think that the doctor complied with the standard of care, [and] that the evidence that we produced showed that."

Family members acknowledged on the stand [that] they didn't directly ask the doctor for more medication.

Alice Edlinger, Bergman's daughter, says, "We trusted that they knew what they were doing to relieve my father's pain."

Advocates for terminally ill patients say undermedication for pain is a widespread problem.

Jim Geagan a family attorney says, "I think the effect of this is gonna be a tremendous increase in consciousness in California and, I hope, throughout the country that physicians have to make pain management a priority."

Bergman's family chose to sue for elderly abuse because California malpractice laws don't allow pain and suffering awards for the deceased. The jury award, one-point-five million dollars, is likely to be reduced to 250-thousand dollars to comply with a state cap on awards.

I. Vocabulary

1. liable : A jury in Northern California has found a physician liable for elder abuse...

   1. not to blame

   2. alive

   3. responsible

   4. guilty

2. terminal : ...he failed to administer enough pain medication for a terminally ill patient.

   1. being at the end

   2. being at the beginning

   3. not serious

   4. having to due with wellness

3. administer : ...he failed to administer enough pain medication for a terminally ill patient.

   1. to take orders

   2. to make plans

   3. to make rules

   4. to give to someone to take

4. chronic : ...you're treating a person with chronic pain or intractable pain, ...

   1. lasting a short period of time

   2. lasting over a long period of time

   3. sharp

   4. dull

5. intractable: ...you're treating a person with chronic pain or intractable pain, ...

   1. not to be found

   2. easily controlled

   3. not easily controlled

   4. not to be changed

6. consequence: ...there are consequences.

   1. time

   2. idea

   3. result

   4. plan

7. testify: Dr Chin testified that he followed established pain management protocols.

   1. to give tests

   2. to deny

   3. to give proof

   4. to work hard

8. protocol: Dr Chin testified that he followed established pain management protocols.

   1. call

   2. sign

   3. order

   4. practice

9. acknowledge: Family members acknowledged on the stand ...

   1. to deny something

   2. to admit something is true

   3. to be wise

   4. to do something funny

10. advocate : Advocates for terminally ill patients say undermedication for pain is widespread problem.

    1. a supporter

    2. an opponent

    3. a doctor

    4. an accountant