Prisoners who suffer from medical conditions in Texas hopefully receive the medical attention they need. Although they are in prison, it doesn’t mean that they aren’t entitled to receive urgent medical care. A woman in the Wichita County jail claims that there was a failure to recognize her obvious signs of labor.
While in prison on drug charges in June 2012, a woman visited her doctor because of an infection. The doctor determined the woman to be 8 ½ months pregnant. When the woman was returned to jail she suffered from severe cramping. She was checked by the nurse on duty who determined that she was not in labor. The prisoner spent the night in solitary confinement where she tried to receive medical attention because of her increasing pain. She claims that she was ignored by the nurse and other guards on duty. Around 5AM a passing guard helped deliver the baby. The baby was born with its umbilical cord wrapped around its neck and pronounced dead at a local hospital. There was allegedly no CPR done on the baby, and the prisoner was left in her cell with no medical help. She is alleging that because she did not receive a physical examination when she showed obvious signs of labor, the prison failed to transport her to the hospital when her condition worsened, and she ultimately birthed the baby in her prison cell, that she therefore suffered from severe and permanent psychological and physical injuries.
When a person suffers from medical neglect they can feel completely alone. Medical neglect and delayed treatment isn’t acceptable in our society. A legal professional skilled in medical malpractice can help patients determine what happened to cause the medical negligence and whether they are entitled to compensation for their suffering. An attorney can investigate the medical situation and how the neglect and failure to recognize a medical situation happened. They can make sure that medical professionals are held accountable for their actions. Compensation may be available for medical expenses, loss of wages, pain and suffering and other damages.
Houston residents who have suffered from medical neglect, either in prison or in any circumstance, should not feel alone. Medical professionals have a responsibility to take care of people and when there is neglect they should be held accountable.
Source: edition.cnn.com/, “Texas woman claims solitary birth in jail,” Shelby Lin Erdman and Carma Hassan, May 23, 2014
