Widow of Deceased Judge Suing State for Wrongful Death

Wednesday, April 5, 2017 | 0

The widow of an administrative judge has already received $150,000 in workers’ compensation death benefits and is suing the state of California, alleging an order requiring her husband to drive long distances to work caused his fatal heart attack, according to a report by the Sacramento Bee.

Larry Campbell, an administrative law judge for the Unemployment Insurance Appeals Board, died in September 2015. The Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board in July awarded his wife, Bonnie Campbell, $150,000 in death benefits, the Bee reports.

Bonnie Campbell is now suing the state over a 2015 policy change at the San Jose office where her husband worked that required him to drive to Modesto twice a month for hearings. He was previously exempt from the requirement to travel to hearings outside of the city.

Larry Campbell had a heart condition, and his doctor advised him not to drive, a fact that was reportedly common knowledge in the office where he worked. On Sept. 10, 2015, he did not drive to Modesto as required and was disciplined. He was scheduled to drive to Modesto the next week, but died on Sept. 11.

Bonnie Campbell’s lawsuit claims the state was discriminating against her husband because of his disability, and it should have known that its “unlawful conduct was likely to result in emotional distress and shock to his nervous condition,” leading to serious injury, and the possibility of a heart attack and death, according to the Bee.