The family of a man who passed away while being detained for a minor traffic infraction has reached a settlement of $2.45 million with a county in the Detroit region and a healthcare provider.
In 2014, the plaintiff had severe drug withdrawal symptoms while incarcerated in the Macomb County prison for 30 days for reckless driving. Despite proof that he was having seizures and hallucinating in his cell, he was not given the required care, according to his attorney.
With some insurance coverage, the county agreed to pay $1.15 million, while Correct Care Solutions, now known as Wellpath, contributed $1.3 million. According to the County Attorney, an insurance provider assumed control of the lawsuit's defense in 2018. He said that a court decision from 2021 concerning a Tennessee jail established a precedent in Michigan's federal courts.
Even yet, the lawyer acknowledged that it is challenging to win such cases. According to him, jails may be held accountable if they had reason to believe a prisoner was in medical distress and failed to act.
Although the FBI looked into the death, no charges were brought. An attorney for the family claimed that the footage made it very evident that nobody was paying attention to the man's care.
