After a WFAA investigation highlighted a case the place a caretaker grew to become a beneficiary on a useless client’s insurance coverage coverage, a lawmaker acted.
ARLINGTON, Texas — In life, Leroy Anderson wanted others to take care of him.
Anderson had the mind of a 10-year-old. He was additionally diabetic, schizophrenic and bipolar.
He lived in what’s known as a bunch dwelling, right here in Dallas. His caretaker was paid by the state.
In 2018, the 49-year-old went right into a diabetic coma and died. What his household discovered after his death left them speechless.
Four years in the past, WFAA reported that Anderson’s group home-owner, and never his household, was about to gather his $50,000 life insurance coverage payout after he died – revealing a loophole within the legislation.
State Rep. Chris Turner (D-Arlington) is now working to change that.
“When I saw that report, I was astounded,” Turner informed WFAA in a latest interview. “I could not fathom that it was legal.”
He has proposed laws that will ban a caretaker at a bunch dwelling or different related services from getting a life insurance coverage payout on a non-relative.
“It’s an incredible battle of curiosity, and shouldn’t be allowed,” the lawmaker stated.
Hospital data present that over a two-day interval in July 2018, Anderson’s well being quickly declined in a bunch dwelling run by Trace Henderson.
Henderson’s employees informed medical doctors Anderson went by means of a “manic episode” and hadn’t been “eating much” for a number of days, data present.
One day, employees reported that Anderson stayed “in mattress all day and workers assumed he was sleeping,” data present.
They stated Anderson appeared “normal” after they checked on him at bedtime, however he was discovered within the “same position” the subsequent morning and would not get up, data present.
An ambulance rushed him to a hospital.
Anderson died the subsequent day. An post-mortem concluded he died of pure causes.
His uncle, David Hunt had been the first beneficiary on Anderson’s life insurance coverage coverage.
But months earlier than Anderson died, the major beneficiary of the coverage modified to Henderson.
Henderson owns A Champion Home and Community Based Services, which operated the group dwelling the place Anderson lived.
Anderson’s remedy notes describe him as having a “child’s mind” and “diminished mental capacity.”
Still, as a result of Anderson’s household had not filed court docket paperwork to make authorized choices for him, the legislation stated he may make his personal so he was the one one that may make the coverage change.
In a 2019 e-mail, Henderson stated that he couldn’t “touch upon specifics of any case due to confidentiality.”
“We would like the world to know about the kind soul that was Leroy Anderson,” he added. “Over the past three years Mr. Anderson became like family to us, his smile, soft spoken voice would light up a room. He loved gospel music and eating Mexican food. He has friends here that miss him dearly.”
His e-mail additionally made an obvious reference to Hunt.
“What is more disheartening than his passing is that distant relatives who had NO interest in his well-being in life, now seek to exploit his death,” the e-mail stated.
Hunt known as {that a} “big lie.”
Hunt stated he regularly had a tough time contacting Anderson, and he believes A Champion tried to hold Anderson away from him and different relations.
“Leroy was just another paycheck for them,” Hunt stated.
The life insurance coverage firm filed a lawsuit looking for to decide who ought to get Anderson $50,000 payout.
The case settled out of court docket.
Out of a $50,000 coverage, Hunt says the household ended up with about $12,000.
“You’re already getting paid to do your job as owner of this group home, it just wasn’t right,” Hunt stated in a latest interview.
In a brand new assertion to WFAA this yr, Henderson wrote that “A Champion has never taken out a life insurance policy on any of the individuals we serve, including Leroy.”
“We were however reimbursed for legal fees and the cost of his funeral arrangements totaling around $5,000 from a preexisting policy originally taken out by Leroy’s late mother,” the assertion stated.
The assertion says the laws “does not take into consideration that providers are often tasked with ensuring the individuals who we care for are given the same final respects as everyone else. This bill may prevent a consumer’s final wishes from being carried out by disallowing the only family or friend that individual may have had from seeing those wishes through.”
Based largely on WFAA’s reporting, Turner has proposed a package deal of laws that will:
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