County Agrees to Pay More than $12 Million To Jailed Man Injured While In Custody

In early October, one county agreed to pay more than $12 million as part of a settlement to a man who was jailed on suspicion of drunk driving, but ended up losing both of his hands, developing skin lesions all over his body, and suffering a heart attack and a stroke; allegedly due to negligence on behalf of county jail officials. The victim reportedly spent approximately four months in hospitals due to the neglect he experienced during the 39 hours that he was incarcerated. The case highlights the vulnerability of prisoners and others who are dependent upon authorities for care while in their custody.

According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, almost 83,000 jail inmates report being injured after being taken into custody. Many also report untreated chronic health problems, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, HIV, and mental health issues. Sadly, violent injuries in particular are common among U.S. prisoners, including here in Las Vegas.

Severe Neglect

According to reports, a bacterial infection – necrotizing fasciitis, or flesh-eating bacteria – was allowed to go untreated in the victim, which led to a heart attack and a host of other devastating, permanent injuries. While a jail nurse had visited the victim to do a COVID-19 check, even though his hand was extremely swollen and he was incoherent, no attempts were made to obtain emergency care for him until it was too late. He was eventually transferred into intensive care, where both of his hands and part of his forearm had to be amputated.

As a result of his injuries, the victim has spent a reported more than $2 million in medical bills and will need to receive significant ongoing medical care.

Video Footage Mysteriously Disappears

The complaint also described evidence captured in all videos that were allegedly destroyed after 90 days, supposedly because officials took no action to preserve them, in spite of being aware of the severity of injuries involved in the case and the potential for litigation. When questioned about the video footage, jail officials stated that they could not remember what happened to it.

If You’ve Been Harmed by Negligence, Contact Our Las Vegas Injury Attorneys

If you or a loved one has experienced any injuries or harm due to someone else’s negligence, it is critical that you speak with a personal injury attorney right away in order to find out what your rights and next steps are. A personal injury claim can help preserve your right to very necessary medical costs you will need to treat these injuries. The personal injury attorneys of Cameron Law can help: Contact us today to schedule a free consultation and find out more.

Sources:

abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory/county-agrees-122m-settlement-man-jailed-drunken-driving-103739887

bjs.ojp.gov/content/pub/pdf/mpji.pdf

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33848837/