Injury Lawyers Who Truly Care

Death in legal custody may be a wrongful death

On Behalf of | Jun 5, 2020 | Wrongful Death

We are cursed with knowing that everything dies from early in childhood. Although death is inevitable, it should come at the end of a long full life. And people deserve to be punished if they cause an earlier death, which is why criminal justice is that the heart of modern society.

But criminal charges do not always apply to situations in which one person’s action or inaction caused a death. Sometimes, a person may cause someone’s death without knowing about it until later. This could happen if someone’s inaction, or a failure to perform a required duty, is the cause.

A Virginia jail is the defendant in a wrongful death lawsuit brought by the mother of an 18-year-old man who died in custody there. He began showing symptoms of severe health problems during his initial hearing, when the judge suspended proceedings and had him returned to a holding cell without treatment.

He died the next day after being discovered unconscious on the floor. It appears the victim was diabetic and did not get his required insulin before entering a coma. Legal custody, which may be claimed by law enforcement or children’s services, also implies responsibility. If someone is harmed in custody, the legal entity is often responsible due to its failure to keep someone safe.

An attorney can help review the possibility of a wrongful death lawsuit if someone dies in a situation where someone else may be liable. Financial damages may not seem like much comfort, but families can breathe a little easier with the support these damages bring.

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