Posted on 05/11/2006 2:26:17 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
SAN BERNARDINO – A paraplegic who repeatedly filed claims and lawsuits for noncompliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act was a con artist without any physical limitations, authorities said.
After her arrest this month by Las Vegas police, Laura Lee Medley, 35, of Alhambra leaped from her wheelchair and ran for freedom, officials said.
Complaining earlier that she was having medical problems, police took the woman to a Las Vegas hospital for treatment, said David Wert, spokesman for San Bernardino County.
“That's where the great miracle occurred,” he said. Medley “made a break for it,” leading police on a brief foot pursuit before she was captured, Wert said.
Medley's claims against public entities – including San Bernardino County, South Pasadena and Long Beach – claimed a bus dropped her off near what she called a non-ADA compliant roadway or curb, causing her wheelchair to topple. She claimed three broken arms in eight weeks – two lefts and a right.
South Pasadena settled Medley's claim for $6,700 on Oct. 18, 2005.
Her questionable claims led to last week's arrest in Las Vegas.
Medley was charged with filing false documents, attempted grand theft and two counts of insurance fraud. She is in a Las Vegas jail awaiting extradition to San Bernardino.
Medley's alleged deception was discovered by San Bernardino County officials after she filed a complaint saying she fell and broke her left arm on Oct. 17, 2005.
County lawyer Mike Sachs said Medley called him in December to complain about treatment she was receiving from county employees. Medley claimed she was an ADA compliance expert and she threatened to organize a protest march, Sachs said.
“She was a very pushy lady, and anytime she wasn't happy with a response she was getting from someone at the county, she would try to go to the next highest person,” Sachs said.
On Feb. 4, she filed a claim for $9,072 in medical expenses and lost wages. Medley then produced hospital medical records, documents that repeatedly misspelled Bernardino as Bernadino.
The hospital confirmed the documents were bogus.
Sachs said they learned Medley filed a nearly identical wheelchair-toppling claim seeking $5,200 from Long Beach. The claim was denied because the sidewalk was wheelchair accessible, Long Beach Deputy City Attorney Belinda Mayes said.
Medley then filed a federal lawsuit April 4 against Long Beach. That U.S. District Court suit is still pending and Mayes declined comment.
What doctor allowed her to get away with this?
Find those lawyers, yank their licenses, and throw them in jail.
And if they get beat up there, post the pictures on the Internet.
Maybe we'll find a few of those, too. But if you read the story, it was a confrontation with medical personnel that exposed her.
she said she did not have a leg to stand on.
bump
In addition to jail, make her pay back every cent.
This is the key. I've known some serious sociopaths, and they always play up the self-righteous anger, knowing that 9 out of 10 people will just back down and give them what they want.
LOL She's not disabled, she's deformed.
'That's where the great miracle occurred' :)
Amazing what scam artists will get away with (or try to....)
Bad headline, though - it reads as though she actually IS a paraplegic......
"After her arrest this month by Las Vegas police, Laura Lee Medley, 35, of Alhambra leaped from her wheelchair and ran for freedom,"
ROFLMAO!!!!
What lawyer is going to suspect a person coming in a wheel chair to be acting in bad faith as a con person?
In addition, she could have fooled a doctor into getting declared disabled legally. (has happened before in America)
Where is the Perry Mason-drop-the-briefcase-on-the-floor-ruse when you need it?
My favorite part also. It's a miracle!
Haw Haw Haw!
Maybe a lawyer who doesn't want to suspect anything, when he's got a hot prospect.
Most lawyers are professionals who would assume people coming to them about a grievance are honorable unless they already had a criminal record.
They will have that record NOW! LOL
I was reminded of the Eddie Murphy movie moment where he was a legless beggar who is found out by the cops, so he gets up to run while yelling out it was a miracle, thank you Jesus! LOL
Yeah, and most Muslims are not murderers. They just say things like, "Well, the US should not support Israel..."
All this fraud had to do was shop around and ask around. My experience is that the MSM protects lawyers because they are such great sources for stories.
So her lawyers haven't been listed yet?
I think the police will at least look at them.
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