NY Times
Daniel J. Langevin was 35, mentally ill and broke.
He had been living in psychiatric institutions on and off since his early 20s.
A friend who visited him at the Rochester Psychiatric Center in February 1995
remembered that Mr. Langevin had pain in his jaw, eye and face
that was not getting much attention from the staff.
A week later, he was discovered unconscious,
with a near-fatal infection spreading to his brain and other organs.
Mr. Langevin sued New York State, which operates the hospital,
and probably would have won a sizable award.
But the state countered by demanding that Mr. Langevin reimburse it
$1.7 million for 10 years of inpatient care he had received.
A judge sided with the state, and Mr. Langevin wound up with nothing.