Family of prisoner gets $1M for wrongful death

The family of a prisoner who died after suffering a stroke has received a $1 million settlement in connection with a wrongful death case. The man, age 51, was left without medical treatment for some 36 hours as he suffered a fatal stroke. The man's children will be the primary recipients of the money.

Official reports show the man was taken into custody by the Florida Highway Patrol in May 2012. Other drivers called 911 after they saw the man driving erratically. He eventually swerved into a guard rail. Officers who reported to the scene said the man was unable to talk or use his left arm. As a result, he was taken into custody for failing to respond to commands to get out of his vehicle.

Instead of receiving medical screening, the man was simply thrown into a cell, where he laid face-down in agony. He reportedly tried to crawl using the only working side of his body, but he was unable to summon help. Just hours later, the man was found in a pool of his own urine, his brain essentially dead. He died less than three months after he slipped into a coma as a result of the stroke.

The case has raised a variety of questions for the Tampa department where the man's death occurred. Not only was the man, a popular area baseball coach, denied initial medical screening, but he was neglected throughout his stay at the jail. The company that provides medical care in South Florida prisons, Armor Correctional Health Services, has been ordered to pay $800,000 in connection with the case. The sheriff's office will be responsible for about $200,000 of the settlement.

In this case, family members could have recovered financial damages for wrongful death, pain and suffering, emotional distress and loss of consort, among other claims. If your loved one has died at the hands of law enforcement officers, you do not have to suffer alone. Instead, consider seeking assistance from a qualified personal injury attorney.

Source: www.tampabay.com, "Inmate's untreated, fatal stroke results in $1 million settlement by Hillsborough sheriff, jail medical provider" Peter Jamison, Jul. 06, 2013