- Published
A woman has described her "phenomenal" relief after she won a legal case that means she is entitled to be paid for caring for her elderly mother in her final years.
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she → publish → years
Bern Rogers, from Bristol, told the BBC of the "harrowing and deeply sad" family dispute since her elderly mother Sheila died in 2020, which even led to her facing criminal charges.
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her → tell → charges
Legal experts said the "hugely significant" High Court ruling would lead to other claims.
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ruling → say → claims
The executor of Sheila's estate, Bern's brother Andrew, said it had "always been willing to pay" her "genuine expenses" and an extra amount for her efforts.
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it → say → efforts
But the estate intends to appeal against the judgment that awarded Bern £127,500 for care she provided.
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she → intend → care
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Bern looked after Sheila, who had dementia, for two-and-a-half years.
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who → look → years
After Sheila moved into Bern's house in Bristol in September 2017, she wanted to be cared for by her daughter rather than get costly home care or go into a residential care home.
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she → move → home
Crucially, Bern said she agreed with her mother she would be paid for the round-the-clock care.
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she → say → care
After Sheila died in April 2020, Bern took £100,000 from her estate.
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Bern → die → estate
It led to her being reported to the police for fraud and theft.
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her → lead → fraud
The money was seized and Bern was charged.
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Bern → seize → ?
But, at a trial at Bristol Crown Court in 2022, she was found not guilty by a jury.
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she → find → jury
After being cleared, Bern turned to the civil courts.
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Bern → clear → courts
In 2025, a High Court judge ruled she had entered into an informal contract with Sheila for payment of a reasonable sum for her care.
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she → rule → care
The estate was also ordered by a judge to pay Bern's legal costs.
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estate → order → costs
In August this year, another High Court judge worked out the amount Bern was due and ruled she was owed £127,500 for the 850 days of care she provided.
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she → work → care
"Mum came to live with me, she became very confused and was seen wandering in the garden and obviously needed care," Bern said.
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Bern → come → care
"We didn't know what was wrong with her."
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what → know → her
She said caring for her mother had been like a full-time job, adding: "I couldn't leave her really.
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I → say → her
She became unpredictable."
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She → become → ?
Sheila became more frail, was diagnosed with dementia and also had a series of physical health problems, including a "chronic" and "disabling" prolapse.
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Sheila → become → prolapse
Bern's husband John said: "It was relentless after she moved in with us.
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she → say → us
We couldn't go out even to the shops.
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We → go → shops
It was a privilege, but we had to put our lives on hold for more than two years and revolve our lives around looking after her."
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we → have → her
He remembered that in Sheila's final weeks, his wife was sleeping on the floor of her mother's bedroom to make sure she was alright.
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she → remember → bedroom
Bern said "of course" she would have looked after her mother if she had not been able to pay her.
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she → say → her
But she said her mother had wanted to be looked after by her daughter rather than getting professional carers or going into a home, which would have cost thousands of pounds a month.
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which → say → pounds
"She was very insistent and would tell anyone that would listen that she wanted to make sure that I sorted out money for her care, I was to make sure I got paid properly," she said.
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she → tell → care
Multiple messages from Bern's siblings were shown in court saying that she should be paid something for the care, although no amount was agreed.
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amount → show → care
That is why, she explained, shortly after her mother had died, she transferred £100,000 from her mother's account.
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she → explain → account
Bern was reported to the police for theft and fraud, which she describes as a "terrible and devastating betrayal".
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she → report → betrayal
"It has been harrowing and deeply sad for it to go from a normal family relationship to being treated like a scapegoat, five against one," she said.
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she → go → one
After the two separate High Court judgements in her favour, Bern said: "The weight off my shoulders was phenomenal.
"
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weight → say → shoulders
It has been absolutely wonderful to be vindicated.
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It → vindicate → ?
It means I can get on with my life now, the rest of my retirement."
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I → mean → retirement
Bern said: "I'm very proud of her, actually, because she has stuck up for her mother, for carers and for herself.
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she → say → herself
"It's been a very long and tough journey of nine years, and we've finally got justice."
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we → get → justice
'Future courts will follow'
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courts → follow → ?
Legal experts have told the BBC that while this case does not automatically set a legal precedent, it is likely to lead to similar claims in future.
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it → tell → future
Emma Holland, partner in trust and litigation at Stewarts, said: "What this case demonstrates is that the courts are willing to apply ordinary contractual principles to family relationships, which wasn't clear before.
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which → say → relationships
…and 14 more, not listed.
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