A year ago, an inmate at a Sacramento
County jail died because a sheriff’s deputy and nurse refused to give him help.
The inmate was constantly vomiting of blood for over at least 12 hours. The
family of the deceased inmate is filing a wrongful death lawsuit in federal
court. The lawsuit alleges that the inmate’s civil rights were violated.
The complaint also alleges that the
death of the inmate was directly caused by the sheriff’s deputy and nurse’s
failure to seek emergency medical care. This failure illustrates defective
policies and practices at the Sacramento County Main Jail and Correctional
Health Services.
The inmate pleaded for emergency care.
Even other inmates pleaded on his behalf, but their pleas were wrongly ignored
by the facility’s sheriff and nurse. As a result, the vomiting caused a tear in
his esophagus which led to internal bleeding and death.
According to other inmates, the man
pleaded with the sheriff as did other inmates. However, the sheriff threatened to lock down
the prison if people kept buzzing him and informing him of the inmate’s
injuries. The sheriff said there was nothing that he could do.
According to the coroner, the death
of the inmate was caused by Mallory-Weiss syndrome in which damage is caused by
excessive vomiting. Death by Mallory-Weiss is very rare because it is easily
treatable. The inmate was 48 when he died.
Wrongful Death Claims
Tragically, numerous deaths take place that are easily
preventable like the one told above. Regardless of the cause, whether it is
from medical malpractice or a defective product, if a person wrongfully dies
their family members are able to seek justice for their death.
A wrongful death claim is typically filed by a family member
against the person or organization at fault for the death. By taking legal pursuit,
victims can recover compensation for:
- Medical expenses
- Funeral and burial expenses
- Lost source of income
- Pain and suffering
If your family member or loved one was tragically killed as
a result of negligence from a person or organization, you should speak to a
wrongful death attorney immediately. A wrongful death attorney at The Law Offices of Andrew Wright can earn you the monetary compensation you deserve
from a negligent party. Contact us today regarding your claim.
