In April 1981 he suffered a major drug overdose which left him paralyzed and almost completely blind. The following November, his mother Gail sued her ex-husband for $25,000 per month to support their sons' medical expenses.[16] Despite the fact that Paul II was earning over $20 million a year from his family trust, he had refused to pay a penny towards the treatment, leaving his brother Gordon to pay his nephew's expenses. The litigation judge who allowed the case to go to trial scolded Paul Jr.: "Mr. Getty should be ashamed of himself spending far more money on court obligations than living up to his moral duties."[17] Claiming that he doubted the severity of his sons' debilitation, Getty sent his lawyer to Los Angeles to confirm it first hand, which led him to finally agree to shouldering the costs.[18]