The family of actor Robert Carradine, known for his roles in the 1980s “Revenge of the Nerds” movies and “Lizzie McGuire,” has filed a lawsuit against the governing body of UCLA, alleging his death by suicide in February at a university-affiliated psychiatric facility was preventable. The legal complaint, filed on August 7 with Los Angeles Superior Court, names the UC regents, along with physicians, nurses, and other officials, as defendants.
Carradine, 71, had checked into the UCLA Resnick Neuropsychiatric Hospital in Westwood shortly before his death. His estate and surviving children, who are the plaintiffs in the 27-page suit, claim that the psychiatric care team at the UCLA health facility provided reckless care and committed elder abuse and neglect. The family stated in the suit that Carradine had bipolar disorder and admitted to "suicidal thoughts" upon his voluntary admission to the hospital.
According to the lawsuit, Carradine recognized he was a danger to himself and sought a safe environment. However, the family alleges that UCLA staff broke a cardinal rule for hospitalized psychiatric patients by allowing him to enter a locked unit with a belt. The complaint further states that staff left him in a room with a table that had not been removed, despite orders for regular observation. Carradine died approximately 19 hours after checking into the facility, the lawsuit says.
The family's complaint contends that UCLA "took shortcuts with two safeguards" meant to protect Robert’s life, by providing him the means to harm himself and failing to monitor him adequately, despite orders to check on him every 15 minutes. The lawsuit also claims UCLA staff was distracted during his observation intake and falsified records to reflect proper care.
Born in Los Angeles on March 24, 1954, Robert Carradine was the youngest son of prolific character actor John Carradine. His 50-year career spanned film and television, including his debut in “Bonanza” and roles in “The Cowboys,” “Mean Streets,” and “Coming Home.” A new generation came to know him as Sam McGuire on “Lizzie McGuire,” prompting star Hilary Duff to pay tribute after his passing.
His family shared in a statement following his death that Carradine had struggled with bipolar disorder for years, fighting the condition for nearly two decades. They expressed hope that his journey could shine a light on and encourage addressing the stigma associated with mental illness. The lawsuit seeks unspecified general and wrongful-death damages, along with compensation for medical expenses incurred during his hospitalization.