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Dudensing Law Secures $15.75 Million Total Jury Verdict for the Family of Ruby Evans in Elder Neglect Case

January 20, 2026
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Dudensing Law, alongside co-counsel Buckley Law, recently secured a $15.75 million total jury verdict on behalf of the family of Ruby Evans, a vulnerable senior who suffered severe neglect while residing at Windsor Vallejo Care Center.

Ms. Evans was a resident at the facility from August 3–10, 2019. During that short stay, she developed painful, preventable pressure sores as a result of neglect. Evidence presented at trial showed that the facility falsified records regarding her condition and concealed her injuries from her family. Ms. Evans passed away at her home on October 2, 2019.

A Solano County jury found Windsor Vallejo Care Center, owner Lee Samson, and corporate overseer S&F Management liable for Ms. Evans’ death, awarding $12 million in punitive damages and $3.75 million in compensatory damages.

“Justice was served as the Solano County jury delivered a verdict in the amount of $15.75 million against nursing home owner Lee Samson, corporate overseer S&F Management, and skilled nursing facility Windsor Vallejo, whose neglect caused unimaginable harm to resident Ruby Evans, a vulnerable elder entrusted to their care,” said Dudensing Law attorney Matt Chisholm, lead counsel in the successful verdict. “Ms. Evans developed painful, preventable pressure sores while at the defendants’ facility, and this verdict stands as a powerful step toward ensuring that these operators and others like it will not continue to recklessly neglect our vulnerable elders.”

“Our family is grateful that some measure of justice has been served and that the jury recognized the egregious harm done to Ruby by holding those responsible accountable,” said the Evans family. “We thank the team at Dudensing Law for their dedication, guidance, and tireless work on our behalf. This verdict affirms that every elder deserves dignity and care while residing at a skilled nursing facility and sends a clear message that abuse and neglect of vulnerable individuals will not be tolerated.”

“I could not be more grateful for a jury of our peers not only to find that defendants neglected Ruby Evans but also in concluding that owner Lee Samson and corporate overseer S&F Management acted with recklessness, malice and oppression,” said Ed Dudensing, founder of Dudensing Law. “Dudensing Law’s mission has always been to ensure accountability as to those who truly are responsible for the neglect of our elders. Caregivers and nurses work tirelessly at these long-term care facilities, but are put into an impossible situation because, all too often, corporations elect to maximize profits at the expense of proper patient care. My congratulations to Matt Chisholm and the entire team at Dudensing Law for their outstanding work on this matter.”

This verdict underscores the devastating consequences of systemic neglect and record falsification in long-term care facilities. Dudensing Law remains committed to holding nursing homes and their corporate owners accountable and to protecting the dignity, safety, and rights of California’s most vulnerable residents.

Learn more about the case from recent coverage:

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