In an article published on February 24, 2025, by The Washington Post JGL Principal Drew LaFramboise was quoted about the class action lawsuit against the Psychiatric Institute of Washington, which alleges widespread mistreatment of patients at the hospital. LaFramboise and JGL Principal Veronica Nannis are co-counsel for the plaintiff in the lawsuit.
In the lawsuit, a patient alleges that the institution prioritizes profits over patient care, systematically committing patients when not medically necessary to maximize insurance payments. The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages for the patient and certification of a class of thousands of patients involuntarily hospitalized at the facility in the decade since it was acquired by corporate hospital giant Universal Health Services.
“Behind this is a massive corporate enterprise that is continuing to expand rapidly and has made no bones about the fact that they are interested in nothing more than expansion and increasing occupancy in these facilities,” said LaFramboise.
Read the full article “D.C. psych hospital committed patients to boost profits, lawsuit says.” (PDF)
Additional press coverage is available:
Psychiatric hospital in DC accused of neglect, abuse – WUSA Channel 9
Lawsuit: Psych Hospital Faked Records to Boost Profits – Newser
