World-renowned trial attorney Geoffrey Fieger of Fieger Law in Michigan has brought a $50 million lawsuit against the Michigan Department of Corrections and Corizon Health, an individual warden, and two unnamed nurses on behalf of John Stein’s family after Mr. Stein passed away in a Jackson prison. The lawsuit stems from a September 5th, 2017 incident of neglectful management of the inmate’s medical emergency.
Mr. Stein lived with a serious, life-threatening medical condition that could abruptly trigger symptoms, including congestive heart failure. This medical condition was well-known by the nursing and medical staff at the prison which housed Mr. Stein. After serving his sentence and awaiting release, John complained that he was suffering from debilitating chest pain that was interrupting his breathing. This was a clear indicator that his medical condition was flaring.
Instead of providing him appropriate medical attention, referring him to a physician, or sending him to a nearby hospital for emergency evaluation, John was taken briefly to health services within the facility. The two nurses – named in the lawsuit as Jane Doe and Jane Roe – directed him back to his cell, despite the seriousness of condition. Upon returning to his cell, John collapsed and quickly passed away.
Specific incidents of neglect cited in the lawsuit are:
Mr. Stein was only still in the facility because a clerical error with his discharge paperwork kept him there after his official release date. This mismanagement of documents that ultimately disallowed him to bring himself to an emergency room for a medical evaluation could potentially be seen as another form of negligence, adding to the defendants’ liability.
Through preliminary investigations, it has also been determined that Corizon Health intentionally cut corners when managing prison medical facilities in order to save money. The lawsuit filed by Fieger Law states that facilities are regularly understaffed, and that the staff on-hand is typically unqualified to manage the demands of the clinic or react to all emergency situations.
For more information about this case as it develops, be sure to check our Fieger Law newsfeed regularly. If you or a loved one have suffered due to the negligence of prison staff and inadequate safety regulations, you may also wish to contact our firm to discuss your case for free with one of our Southfield jail and prison injury claim attorneys. We are headquartered in Michigan but routinely serve clients all around the country.