[Nfbsf] legal protections for the visually impaired

[Deborah Proctor]

Dear Scott,

Good luck on finding visually impaired to support in new fields!  I'm a 
veterinarian and RN and often see visually impaired foks working in dark 
rooms processing x-rays.  I do volunteer work for guide dogs and help in any 
other way I can.

I'm writing to see if you could direct me to some legal information.  I had 
two visually impaired relatives taken advantage of by their inability to 
read contracts they signed.   The problems are clear, names were wrong, 
critical documents stated as attached were in fact not,  yet their 
signatures were honored anyway all the time not knowing the contents of what 
they signed differed from what they were told.  They could have been told 
anything but signed on sheer trust.

One even signed documents placing herself on hospice when she was told it 
was simply contracts that enabled her to receive FREE NURSING CARE!!  She 
was NOT terminally ill.. but discontinuing her meds resulted in her death.

They were treated as "incompetent" and agents spoke on their behalf when 
they were in fact documented as lucid and competent.   How is this 
addressed?   What protections are in place protecting the visually impaired 
from false representation.  One believed their accountant was a CPA when 
he'd in fact dropped his license to avoid being held accountable by the 
licensing authorities.   Had she been able to read, she could have seen 
taxes were not being prepared, checks not deposited, and funds redirected by 
the accountant who had power of attorney.  She allegedly signed it thinking 
her nephews were her agents!   She couldn't read the contents of the 
documents to insure the facts were accurate.   This accountant created 
documents naming him as power of attorney for health care, finances, and 
legal matters, and found an attorney willing to name him as personal 
representative of her estate and trustee of a testamentry trust she didn't 
know existed.   With all that power, he is able to block access to all the 
documents that can incriminate him.  None of this could have happend if 
she'd been able to read what she signed.

Lawyers have lamented the problem but none know anything in place to protect 
the visually impaired who's trust is violated.

The case is in Maryland;  I'm currently in Washington DC.  I'd really 
appreciate any thoughts or resources.

Thank you very much for any help you can give,

Sincerely,

Deborah Proctor, DVM
Rohnert Park, CA


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Scott C. LaBarre (by way of David Andrews<dandrews at visi.com>)" 
<slabarre at labarrelaw.com>
To: <david.andrews at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Thursday, July 23, 2009 8:24 PM
Subject: [Nfbsf] Looking for People


Greetings:

We are very interested in talking to anyone who
is blind/visually impaired and interested in
pursuing a Doctor of Chiropractic degree from
Palmer College of Chiropractic.  We are also
interested in talking to any blind/visually
impaired employees who either work directly for
or through a contractor to provide
switchboard/communication services for the
Veterans Administration.  Finally, we are
interested in speaking with anyone,
blind/visually impaired, who is planning on
attending law school, is currently an undergrad,
and who plans on taking the LSAT either this fall or in the next year.

Please contact me at the below information.
Thanks,
Scott C. LaBarre, Esq.

LaBarre Law Offices P.C.
1660 South Albion Street, Ste. 918
Denver, Colorado 80222
303 504-5979 (voice)
303 757-3640 (fax)
<mailto:slabarre at labarrelaw.com>slabarre at labarrelaw.com (e-mail)
<http://www.labarrelaw.com>www.labarrelaw.com (website)

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