In February 2014, a man entered a county jail as an inmate in a state outside Florida. He apparently made it known to the proper authorities that he suffered from a medical condition that would require special dietary needs. Recently, the man and his wife have filed a medical malpractice claim against the sheriff, several deputies and members of the medical staff, stating that they are responsible for a decline in his condition and subsequent emergency surgery that was necessary because of a serious infection.
The man reportedly suffers from diverticulitis. Certain foods are known to cause adverse effects in the intestines; hence, the need for dietary restrictions in patients who have the condition. The recent legal claim states that the jail staff and medical personnel deliberately ignored the man’s needs.
At one point, he apparently began to suffer from severe pains in his abdomen. However, he said that officials would not fulfill his request to see a doctor until approximately one week later. By that time, it appears that his intestine had ruptured and upon arriving at a nearby hospital for care, he was suffering from a serious infection that required emergency surgery.
As a result of the surgery, the man now must wear a colostomy bag because a large portion of his intestine was removed. When he was sent back to jail, he said that the staff was unequipped to handle proper medical care and he did not even have a way to change his bag. He and is wife are now suing the municipality in a medical malpractice claim, seeking damages for loss of consortium, inadequate medical care and deliberate indifference to medical needs. Florida law protects those who have suffered in similar situations by allowing them to pursue legal accountability against those deemed responsible for an illness or injury.
Source: madisonrecord.com, “Couple accuses Franklin County, sheriff of medical negligence“, Molly English-Bowers, Feb. 3, 2016
