FREDERIC SERRE
The 1510 West
Dollard des Ormeaux doctor Brian Nadler, accused of killing four patients under his care at the Hawkesbury District General Hospital in 2021 – including Claire Brière, 80, of Rigaud – is suing the health facility for $18 million in the wake of his acquittal earlier this month by the Ontario Superior Court on all charges.
Nadler was acquitted July 2 of four counts of first-degree murder and four counts of criminal negligence at the request of the Crown as his trial was set to begin in Ottawa. Two days later, Nadler filed his lawsuit against the Hawkesbury hospital and 12 staff members, alleging that they made “false, misleading, inaccurate and/or defamatory statements” to police. In his suit, the doctor is claiming $15 million in “general and special damages,” $1 million in aggravated damages and $2 million in punitive damages.
Nadler was arrested in March 2021 and charged with purposefully overmedicating Brière and other patients – Albert Poidinger, 89; Lorraine Lalande, 79; and Judith Lungulescu, 93. All four victims were exposed to COVID-19, the defence argued, saying it had several experts ready to testify that Nadler acted appropriately.
Nadler’s lawyer, Brian Greenspan, says his client maintains his innocence, and that the four patients died from COVID-19.
Prosecutors said they asked for the acquittal of Nadler, citing several pre-trial rulings that made it impossible to continue with the case. The Crown chose this route in order to retain the right to appeal the pre-trial rulings, adding an appeal of the acquittal is still a possibility.
Meanwhile, the family of Albert Poidinger is suing Nadler for $1.75 million in damages.