Court: Hospitals can be responsible for abuse by employees

VENTURA, Calif. (AP) — A state appeals court says a California hospital can be held responsible for sexual abuse by an employee, upholding a jury’s award of $6.75 million to two elderly patients who were abused at a psychiatric hospital. The court also ruled that damage awards for pain and suffering by victims who are 65 and older are not subject to California’s $250,000 limit in malpractice cases. The case involved a lawsuit against Aurora Vista del Mar, a Ventura facility, and one of its workers. The court said the worker was hired despite a history of misconduct. The hospital didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.