Brenda Penney, along with her children Brett and Neil Penney, has filed a lawsuit alleging wrongful death due to negligence at a renowned medical institution. The complaint was lodged on January 7, 2025, in the Superior Court of California, County of San Francisco, against The Regents of the University of California and UCSF Medical Center.
The case centers around Charles Penney, who was admitted to UCSF Medical Center for a bone marrow transplant but tragically died following a fall that resulted in blunt force head trauma. According to the complaint, Charles was under the care and supervision of the defendants from November 30, 2023, until his death on January 21, 2024. Brenda Penney claims that despite being identified as a high fall risk due to several health issues such as peripheral neuropathy and severe orthostatic hypotension, Charles was left unsupervised without adequate safety measures like skid-proof footwear or proper alarming systems.
The plaintiffs accuse the defendants of professional negligence leading to wrongful death. They argue that UCSF Medical Center staff failed to provide necessary care despite knowing Charles's fall risk factors. The complaint details how Charles had fallen weeks before his hospitalization and had a history of overestimating his physical abilities. The family asserts that this oversight directly led to his fatal fall on January 13, 2024.
Brenda Penney is seeking both economic and non-economic damages through this lawsuit. Economic damages include lost wages and pre-death medical costs incurred by Charles. Non-economic damages encompass compensation for loss of companionship and support resulting from his untimely death. Additionally, they seek recovery for Charles's pre-death pain and suffering during the eight days between his fall and subsequent passing.
Representing the plaintiffs are attorneys Scott R. Montgomery and Natasha E. Berg from Abbey, Weitzenberg, Warren & Emery P.C., while the case is filed under Case No.: CGC25621222 in front of Judge Marivic Viray at the Superior Court of California in San Francisco.