At Arias Sanguinetti, we are passionate about the work we do on behalf of families who have lost a loved one while incarcerated. Losing a family member due to the negligence of others is enormously painful, and this pain can be exacerbated when the wrongful death occurs while your loved one is incarcerated. Inmates are a uniquely vulnerable group – their treatment is nearly invisible to the general public and they are completely reliant on the correctional system for even their most basic everyday needs. Jails and their often for-profit healthcare providers take advantage of inmates’ vulnerability, following a simple but ruthless approach: maximize profit and savings by providing the cheapest possible care. This willful neglect often results in horrific and avoidable deaths. Inmates that are many times serving short sentences or are pre-trial detainees that are not yet convicted are essentially given death sentences from medical providers and custody staff who ignore their serious medical needs. Even worse, prison systems rely on harmful societal tropes about incarcerated individuals to obscure the truth and shift the blame for the prison’s unlawful actions onto the inmate.
Our civil rights and wrongful death attorneys believe that when these injustices occur, someone must be held accountable. We acknowledge that nothing can fully heal the harm you have endured, yet we are committed to providing the measure of relief that justice can offer. At Arias Sanguinetti, we prioritize providing legal representation for underrepresented groups. We specialize in complex cases including civil rights violations resulting in the deaths of inmates. With a proven track record of success in securing verdicts and settlements for families who have suffered the wrongful death of a loved one, our team of California wrongful prison death lawyers have the experience to make sure that justice is served on your loved one’s behalf.
What constitutes a wrongful death in prison in California?
When a death is caused by the negligence of others, it is a wrongful death. This can include workplace accidents, car accidents, intentional acts, and medical malpractice – any instance in which negligence led to a death. It can be extremely difficult to grapple with the reality that a death was avoidable. For this reason, it takes enormous courage and fortitude to pursue legal action during this grieving. At Arias Sanguinetti we have over 300 years of combined experience with wrongful death cases, so we are all too familiar with the emotional agony of the experience when a loved one suffers a wrongful death. We are determined to limit our clients’ emotional distress caused by this legal process.
Wrongful deaths in prison are especially egregious because inmates are at the mercy of those in charge of their care and wellbeing. Prevailing societal tropes can suggest that anything that an inmate of a correctional facility suffers is their fault. This is not true. Inmates have the right to health and safety. Prison is meant to be a temporary restriction of freedoms, not a life-threatening experience, especially when the individual is incarcerated for a minor charge and does not have a death sentence. Given inmates’ complete reliance on the prison system for their well-being, many times an inmate’s suffering is due to the jail or prison’s negligence.
Wrongful deaths in prisons include, but are not limited to:
- Preventable Suicide. This is the most prevalent form of wrongful death in prisons or jails, often stemming from negligence on the part of custody staff. Custody and medical staff must identify mental health concerns, provide proper care, and enforce suicide-watch protocols when necessary.
- Improper Nutrition. If a death results from inadequate nutrition or insufficient food supply, the prison or jail may be held accountable.
- Failure to Provide Medical Care. Inmates’ complaints of medical issues are sometimes disregarded. If such negligence leads to death, the prison or jail may be at fault.
- Violence from Other Inmates. If an inmate is murdered by another inmate, the prison or jail may be held responsible as it has a duty of care for inmate safety.
- Exposure to the Elements. If an inmate dies from extreme heat or cold due to inadequate shelter or protection, the prison or jail may be liable.
- Correctional Officer Violence/Use of Force. Violence or excessive force by correctional officers can result in inmate fatalities, for which the prison or jail may be held responsible
- Substance Abuse and Withdrawal. Inadequate management of substance abuse issues and withdrawal symptoms can lead to fatal outcomes due to medical complications or lack of appropriate intervention.
Our team of wrongful death attorneys has litigated numerous cases involving wrongful deaths in prison. Our team of California wrongful prison death lawyers have extensive experience in cases like yours and we are committed to seeking justice for those affected by these tragic circumstances. Contact us to learn more about our experience and how we can help you seek justice.
What is the for-profit prison industry?
In many cases of wrongful prison death, for-profit companies are involved. The massive yet largely unknown for-profit prison business has a long track record of liability for wrongful prison deaths. These businesses provide services for prisons ranging from medical and mental health care, to drug intervention to food provision. They receive staggering government contracts in exchange for these services. The services they provide are frequently minimalistic and inadequate, yet they evade accountability due to their provision to a largely disenfranchised inmate population.
At Arias Sanguinetti, our California wrongful prison death lawyers are experts in pursuing lawsuits against for-profit prison and jail medical companies. We recognize that inmates are being exploited for profit in this arrangement, and are determined to seek justice by gaining financial compensation for our clients from both the state and these enormously profitable private companies. Contact us to learn about how this may have affected your case.
Can I sue for wrongful death in prison?
We recognize that making the difficult choice to pursue legal action against a prison, jail or for-profit medical company can be daunting. These entities have a vested interest in creating the perception that they are impossible to hold accountable. With the expertise of our wrongful death attorneys on your team, you absolutely can seek financial compensation from prisons, jails and for-profit medical companies.
At Arias Sanguinetti | Trial Lawyers our California wrongful death attorneys are experts in complex cases and winning maximum compensation for our clients. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you.