Everyone who is incarcerated deserves basic human rights and respect for their dignity. This includes the right to adequate medical care and to be free from abuse by prison staff.

Unfortunately, Ohio jails and prisons have a track record of abuse and failing to provide even basic medical care to people in their custody, which can lead to premature and preventable deaths.

If you have a loved one who was seriously injured or died while in jail or prison, your family might be entitled to financial compensation. The jail neglect attorneys at Robenalt Law can investigate the circumstances, advise you on your legal rights and options, and represent you in a claim for jail abuse or neglect.

Contact our law office today to schedule a confidential, no-obligation appointment to discuss your situation with an experienced jail death and neglect attorney.

Types of Abuse and Neglect in Prison

In prison, inmates may be housed with dangerous people and have no choice but to rely on guards who may not have their best interests at heart. Whether due to abuse or indifference, inmates can suffer permanent injuries that can take years off their lives.

Medical Neglect

Because inmates cannot seek medical care and treatment on their own, they rely almost exclusively on prison staff for their most basic needs. When a prison facility is unable or unwilling to address an inmate’s medical needs, the inmate’s medical condition may worsen and they may suffer unnecessarily.

Examples of medical neglect in prison include:

• Withholding medication
• Preventing doctors from treating the inmate
• Refusing addiction or medical health treatment
• Sedating inmates without justification
• Accusing inmates of faking or exaggerating symptoms

When confronted with allegations of medical neglect, prisons may blame staffing shortages or a lack of resources. Regardless, prisons have a constitutional obligation to provide inmates with adequate medical care.

Prisoner-on-Prisoner Violence

Even though inmates are in jail to be punished, jail and prison facilities are responsible for the safety of the inmates they house. Unfortunately, jail and prison staff may ignore signs of prison-on-prisoner violence. Failure to address inmate-on-inmate violence can lead to:

• Assault
• Sexual assault
• Jail death

Facilities may try to defend themselves by claiming prisoner-on-prisoner violence is inevitable and that they cannot be everywhere at once. However, jails and prisons are legally obligated to ensure inmate safety.

Guard-on-Prisoner Violence

In some cases, jail and prison staff play a role in inmate abuse or neglect by using excessive force or in cases of female inmate abuse by correctional officers.

Prison officials may try to shift the blame to inmates, claiming the prison staff only used appropriate force after the inmate acted violently. These excuses should not be accepted at face value and should be investigated thoroughly, as prison facilities are required to ensure prisoner safety.

Unlawful Use of Solitary Confinement

Most correctional facilities segregate problematic inmates from the rest of the prison population. Inmates in solitary confinement may not be allowed to leave their cells to eat or exercise. However, excessive use of solitary confinement can reach the level of cruel and unusual punishments in violation of the Eighth Amendment.

Signs of Abuse and Neglect in Prison

Inmates may be reluctant to discuss abuse or neglect. Loved ones should be aware of the signs and symptoms of prison abuse and neglect which may include:

• Sudden weight loss
• Bruises or other injuries
• Emotional outbursts
• Changes in demeanor
• Frequent medical issues
• Calling or writing less frequently
• Emotional withdrawal

If your loved one shows signs of prison abuse or neglect, contact a jail neglect attorney at Robenalt Law today. We can investigate the situation and advise you of your legal rights.

Contact Robenalt Law Today

Robenalt Law has offices in Cleveland and Columbus and handles jail abuse and neglect claims throughout Ohio and nationwide.

Call our Cleveland office at (216) 223-7535 or our Columbus office at (614) 695-3800 or contact us online to schedule a free, confidential, no-obligation appointment to discuss your situation and how we can help.