Los Angeles County Settles Prisoner's Medical Care Suit for $5 Million
On January 22, 2012, the County of Los Angeles, California settled a former jail prisoner's suit for over $5,000,000. The suit alleged that negligent medical care in the county jail injured the prisoner's unborn son.
Karen Works, a former Los Angeles County Jail prisoner, and Marco D. Walker, filed a complaint in Los Angeles County Superior Court containing a government tort claim against the county and its employees alleging negligence in the medical treatment she received while a prisoner permanently injured her son. Works filed both individually and as the Guardian ad Litem of her infant son, Marco D. Walker, Jr.
The complaint alleged that, while Works was pregnant and incarcerated in. the jail in April 2010, she was tested in connection with her pregnancy. The tests allegedly revealed a bacterial infection for which she claimed she was inadequately treated resulting in serious injury to her then-unborn son, Marco, Jr., who was born on July 1, 2010.
The county agreed to settle the suit for a payment of $5,000,000 plus a payment of $25,058 to cover a medic al lien which arose out of provision of medical care to Marco, Jr. up to July 20, 2011. Plaintiffs are required to pay their own attorney fees to attorneys Levik Yarian and Allen Patatanyan represented them. As a result of the settlement, they requested that the suit be dismissed with prejudice.
The extent of the child's injuries were not given in the settlement agreement, but it did make specific provisions for the deposition of the award should Marco Jr. die prematurely. See: Walker v. County of Los Angeles, Los Angeles Co. Superior Court, No. EC460599.
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Related legal case
Walker v. County of Los Angeles
| Year | 2012 |
|---|---|
| Cite | Los Angeles Co. Superior Court, No. EC460599 |
| Level | State Supreme Court |
| Conclusion | Settlement |
| Damages | 5,000,000 |
| Injunction Status | N/A |