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debbarry · Mar 19, 2009, 07:36 AM

My mother died in a casino hotel. She went there every weekend because they kept sending her all this FREE stuff, rooms, food, gifts, money. She lost every penny of her money and the money my dad left her she died in her room they were so rude to me when I kept asking to see if something was wrong with my mom, she was not answering the phone it took hrs. for them to finally have a detective call me and say yes she was in her room but dead, my mom was not even sick they said natural causes. But she gave them every cent which was a lot of money and left me and my brother now broke do I have a case?

George_1950 · Mar 19, 2009, 07:49 AM

Welcome to AMHD. I'm very sorry for the loss of your mother. It would seem that an autopsy would be used to establish cause of death? Can you provide a bit more insight into what you perceive as a cause of action against the casino/hotel?

debbarry · Mar 19, 2009, 07:57 AM

All they said was natural causes I thought they would do a autopsy, but they only did a toxic one and no alcohol or drugs were in her system which I already knew that. Being so distraught I just thought they would have done a autopsy but they didn't, like I said natural causes, but she was not ill, no bad heart, just depressed cause of losing so much money there

JudyKayTee · Mar 19, 2009, 08:08 AM

I see no basis for a lawsuit here unless someone in the Casino FORCED your mother to gamble away everything she had. Did your family make any attempts to contact the casino and either keep her out or limit her gambling?

A man who lost everything at one of the NY Casinos (I'm thinking maybe Oneida - ?) committed suicide. The family sued the Casino and lost. The ruling was that the Casino did not FORCE him to gamble, nor is the Casino responsible for "policing" people and their spending habits.

I'm sorry for your loss but I see no cause of action here.

ScottGem · Mar 19, 2009, 08:23 AM

Let me also offer my condolences. Unfortunately, that's all I can offer because Judy is correct. Sending offers of free stuff to get people into a casino is not unusual. The recipient is under no obligation to accept the freebies or even to gamble if they do. So its was your mother's choice, or even addiction. But the casino is not responsible for that.

As to the cause of death, how long ago did this happen? You can request that the coroner's office do a more through autopsy. But cause of death should be determined by the coroner, and you are entitled to a copy of that report. If you did not get one, go to their office and ask for it.

Now you say your mom left you and your brother broke. How old are you? If you are minors, then I might agree. But if you are adults, then you should have had no expectancy of an inheritance.

Finally, you state that your mom went to the casino every weekend. You don't state for how long. You also don't say whether an intervention was attempted by your family to get her to go to Gamblers Anonymous or some other program to help with her addiction. If this was not done and the gambling had gone on for an extended period, even if you tried to sue, the casino would simply point out that you did nothing to stop her or inform the casino that there was an issue.

To be realistc however, casinos don't want bad publicity like this. So if you retain an attorney, they MIGHT offer a small settlement (probably not more than a few thousand dollars) to get rid of this as a nuisance.

debbarry · Mar 19, 2009, 12:55 PM

She went there for at least 10 yrs. AndYes that is what I thought they did not force her to go to the casinos it was her will to go. Yes me and my brother had talked to her many times, she would not hear of going to gamblers annomous, and after she lost my sister (her daughter) and my dad, the casino I guess got her mind off it, an expensive past time. Oh well. As far as her death, my mom was not even sick she went to AC on fri. I talked to her a few times as we always do,she was great! But I was in Florida going on a cruise the next day,which of course I didn't go. But sat I kept trying to call her cell no answer I thought it was odd I kept calling asked the casino to page her no response when I found out no one else had talked to her, I asked the casino to check her room they thought I was nuts, but I said you don't understand my mom and I talk like 10 times a day and I'm leaving on a cruise tomorrow she would not go with out calling me, at about 3 I finally got security to go to her room they told me to call back in 10 min I did all they said was security was in her room I said was my mom they said I don't know, so I kept calling and calling back they got fed up with me calling and just hung up on me, finally at 6:13 a police called me I said was my mom in her room he said yes I said is she sick, he said no I'm sorry she passed away.soooo 1 day here the next gone, I don't understand it, as fas as a autopsy we were told being it was out of state and at a hotel they would prob. Do a autopsy, but they didn't for some reason, her body was sent back here and she was creamated, my brother and I weren't thinking straight, so we will never know, but they say natural causes... and its not about the money really we are both grown, but my mom has so many outstanding bills,.

JudyKayTee · Mar 19, 2009, 01:05 PM

Originally Posted by debbarry

1 day here the next gone, I dont understand it, as fas as a autopsy we were told being it was out of state and at a hotel they would prob. do a autopsy, but they didnt for some reason, her body was sent back here and she was creamated, my brother and i werent thinking straight, so we will never know, but they say natural causes.......and its not about the money really we are both grown, but my mom has so many outstanding bills, .........

You realize now - I'm sure - that you could have demanded an autopsy. The fact that the hotel handled things the way they did is no surprise.

You are not responsible for her bills - unless they were in joint names.

I'm sorry for your loss. Hard enough to lose your mother and then these circumstances -

ScottGem · Mar 19, 2009, 04:42 PM

As Judy said, unless you are signed as co-borrowers or co-signers on her debts, you are not responsible for them.

Just send any statements back to the issuer with a copy of the death certificate and a statement that she had no assets at the time of death.

debbarry · Mar 20, 2009, 05:09 AM

Yes thank you! All of you have been helpful, I appreciate it very much!