A Portland Jury has just awarded over $3 million to a nurse after a wrongful termination case against her former employer was brought to trial.
Registered nurse Linda Boly claimed she was terminated by the Legacy Good Samaritan Medical Center after complaining about how the institution's corner cutting policies jeopardized its quality of patient care. Specifically, the medical center dictated exactly how long nurses had to complete given tasks. Boly was eventually written up on three separate occasions for taking more than the allotted time for given tasks. She argued that in these instances, she spent more time with patients because their needs required the extra attention.
Boly's attorney also argued that she was being singled out compared to other nurses, and chalked it up to being an outspoken advocate for employee rights. In 2005, for instance, she started campaigning to help pass Oregon's Nurse Staffing Law, which was designed to give nurses more influence in patient decision making.
Following the verdict, Maegan Vidal, a spokeswoman for the Legacy Good Samaritan Medical Center says that the organization disagrees with the decision, and that, in actuality, Boly was fired due to poor job performance.
The 12-person jury award Boly $916,000 to cover lost wages until a retirement age of 67, $625,000 for emotional distress, and another $1.5 million in punitive damages. Oregon state law dictates that 70 percent of the $1.5 million in punitive damages will go to the state.
The Meyers Law Firm did not provide representation in the aforementioned case
If you believe you have been unfairly let go from a job, submit your claim to the wrongful termination lawyers at The Meyers Law Firm. Our staff will review your case and help you determine your best course of action.