Chapter 5 - The Legal Shield
The next morning, I didn't wait for my father to return with his discharge papers.
With Carla's help, I contacted Evelyn Vance—the legendary medical malpractice and family law attorney in Indianapolis. Evelyn was known as the "Valkyrie of the Midwest" for her ruthless defense of victimized patients.
By noon, Evelyn was sitting in the armchair beside my bed, her sharp grey eyes scanning the documents Carla had helped me gather.
"This is breathtakingly illegal," Evelyn said, her voice a low, dangerous purr as she looked at the signature on my consent form. "The signature is a shaky, illegible scribble. You were diagnosed with a grade-three concussion at 8:15 PM. This form was signed at 8:45 PM. No court in the country would rule that you had the legal capacity to consent to major organ donation thirty minutes after a severe brain injury."
"Can we sue the hospital?" I asked.
"The hospital will settle the second we present this," Evelyn said, tapping her gold pen against the table. "They cannot afford the public relations nightmare of an unauthorized organ harvest. But more importantly, we are going after your family. The tox screen showing diazepam, coupled with the security footage of your father guiding your hand to sign the paper while you were semi-conscious... that is elder and dependent abuse, conspiracy, and aggravated assault."
"What about Vanessa?" I asked, a bitter taste in my mouth. "She’s about to graduate from law school. She wants to be a prosecutor."
Evelyn let out a cold, sharp laugh. "Not after this. I am going to file an ethics complaint with the state bar association tomorrow morning. By the time I'm done, Vanessa won't even be allowed to work as a paralegal, let alone a lawyer."
The door to my room suddenly burst open.
My father walked in, his face tight with anger, holding a set of keys. Behind him stood Vanessa, looking smug.
"Olivia, get your things," Richard said, not even acknowledging Evelyn’s presence. "We are leaving. I've signed your discharge papers."
May you like
Evelyn stood up slowly, her tall, elegant frame instantly dominating the small room. She smoothed the lapels of her tailored grey suit and turned to my father with a smile that was entirely devoid of warmth.
"Mr. Vance," Evelyn said, her voice smooth as silk and cold as ice. "My name is Evelyn Vance. I am Olivia’s legal counsel. And if you take one more step toward my client, I will have the sheriff’s deputies waiting in the lobby arrest you for kidnapping."
