Washington county to pay former inmate $1M for untreated spinal cord injury: 5 things to know

Spine

Former Seattle-based King County Correction Facility inmate Bryan Telford was awarded $1 million after he suffered a spinal cord injury that went untreated, according to The Seattle Times.

Here are five things to know:

1. Mr. Telford fainted and fell in September 2016 while in custody. He saw jail medical staff later in the day and asked to be taken to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. The jail staff declined his request, according to the lawsuit.

2. Ten days after the fall, Mr. Telford was taken to the hospital after symptoms worsened. During the 10 days he went untreated, Mr. Telford suffered another fall. When he reached the hospital, he could not walk or use the bathroom.

3. At Harborview Medical Center, Mr. Telford underwent spinal surgery. Surgeons addressed swelling and a compressed spinal cord, which required a vertebral fusion.

4. In his lawsuit, Mr. Telford argued King County Correctional Facility failed to meet the required standards for detainees' medical treatment by refusing to transfer him to Harborview Medical Center.

5. In the settlement agreement, the Washington country will pay Mr. Telford $1 million. However, the settlement does not require the correctional facility to change its policies.

Copyright © 2024 Becker's Healthcare. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy. Cookie Policy. Linking and Reprinting Policy.