Several years ago, many Californians were shocked by the treatment of Randall Johnson, a painter who suffered from alcoholism and severe depression. On August 14, 2018, Johnson was found outside his home, covered in feces and wearing only his underwear and shoes. He was talking to himself and hallucinating, which prompted a friend to call 911.
Police arrived at the scene and was told by Johnson that he had injected himself with methamphetamines in order to end his life. In spite of physical and mental distress, officers decided to immediately arrest him instead of allowing paramedics to take him to a hospital. There, he was subjected to cruel and neglectful treatment, which resulted in Johnson killing himself 2 days after he was taken into custody.
There are many disturbing elements about this case, including the fact that Johnson was admitted into jail at all. His intake nurse wrote down “no” on his intake form, which was Johnson’s answer to whether or not he was on drugs. But even if she wasn’t sure that he was on drugs, there were other indicators that showed he was unfit to stay in jail. This may be due to the fact that the company’s healthcare provider, Wellpath, supplying vocational nurses instead of registered nurses.
While in custody, Shasta County deputies leg sweeped Johnson to the ground and demeaned him with comments like “you smell like butthole, bro” and “Dude you smell so fucking bad, it’s ridiculous.” After this humiliating treatment, Johnson was left in solitary confinement, even though he admitted that he was trying to end his life.
The lawsuit by Randall Johnson’s sister, which resulted in a settlement of 12.75 million dollars in August 2023, was filed against the city and county agencies in charge of the facility, along with Wellpath, which specializes in health care needs at prisons and jails. Wellpath has actually been sued over 1,000 times by prisoners and their families, along with various civil rights groups.
Did you lose a family member to suicide while they were imprisoned, due to negligence by deputies, nurses, and other staff members? Our law firm is here to help if you are a victim of failure to prevent suicide in a detention facility. Contact our office for more information on suing a jail or prison for negligence that resulted in the death of an inmate.
Our Recent Verdicts and Settlements
$2.5 Million
$1.1 Million
$1.5 Million
$600,000
$525,000
$734,851
Can Family Members Sue for Suicide at a Detention Facility to Negligence?
Yes, as someone that’s lost a family member to suicide in a prison or jail, you may have grounds to sue for monetary compensation. As a society, we tend to think the worst of prisoners and feel that it’s only right to take away many of the rights and privileges we take for granted. This is true to some degree, since prisons are meant to serve as a form of punishment. But even inmates have civil liberties that cannot be stripped away, like having the right to medical care if they are in distress. Additionally, those with mental health issues deserve extra supervision to ensure that they do not engage in harmful behaviors.
We also have to look at the rising number of arrests involving the mentally ill, who are better served at hospitals and psychiatric centers. With Randall Johnson, for example, shooing away paramedics and bringing Johnson to jail right away was a fatal error. Even worse, he was admitted into jail due to the admitting nurse’s lack of experience or poor judgement. Then, there was the abusive treatment he received from the deputies at Shasta County Jail. This is negligence and misconduct of the highest degree, so we are not surprised that the case was settled for over $12,000,000.
Aside from the city or county agency in charge of the facility, there may be other entities you can sue. For example, Wellpath – Shasta County Jail’s healthcare provider –was also included in the lawsuit. As you can see, there is a lot to examine when it comes to a lawsuit against a negligent prison system. We are here to help you with all your questions and concerns, so please don’t hesitate to give us a call.
Time Limit to Sue for Failure to Prevent Suicide in Jail or Prison
The time limit for a personal injury lawsuit is 2 years, either from the accident date or date of death. But lawsuits against government entities (like Shasta County Jail) must be filed within 6 months. This is a requirement under the California Tort Claims Act (CTCA), so if you miss the deadline for a lawsuit, you will lose the right to sue altogether.
This is why it’s important to contact a lawyer right away, who can help you file a compensation claim with the applicable agency. Within 45 days of receiving the claim, the agency must send you an acceptance or denial notice in writing. A notice of denial will provide you with 6 months to file a wrongful death lawsuit through the civil courts. In some cases, the agency will not respond at all within 45 days, and this means you have 2 years to file a lawsuit from when your loved one passed away.
Prison Suicide Wrongful Death Case Values
The value of a prison suicide wrongful death claim is $1,500,000 to $5,000,000 on average, but some of these payments will exceed $10,000,000. The amount of compensation is based on numerous factors, including the treatment of the prisoner as it’s related to the cause of death. This is often connected to gross negligence by the jail or prison system, like failing to provide adequate supervision, not providing emergency medical care, and bullying / harassment by jail employees that could have driven the inmate to suicide. At the end of the day, how much you can receive from a detention facility suicide case is an individual matter, which we can discuss with you during a private case evaluation.
How Long Does it Take to Reach a Settlement?
Cases for suicide at a California detention center can take 1 to 2 years on average, and over 3 years is the case is tried in court. But even if a court date is scheduled, it’s likely that you will reach a settlement with the other party. As a general rule, it’s in everyone’s best interest to avoid a trial, which is extremely expensive and time-consuming. However, how long it takes to negotiate a fair settlement award can take over 2 years, as we’ve sen in the case of Randall Johnson and his family’s lawsuit for negligent death. By learning the details of your loved one’s death, we can provide you with a better timeline of how long it may take to settle a failure to prevent suicide in prison lawsuit.
Contact a Jail Suicide Lawsuit Attorney
Suing a government entity for wrongful death is a long and complicated process, which is evident from the case of Randall Johnson against Shasta County Jail. That’s why it’s essential to work with an experienced attorney right from the start, which we can offer you here at Normandie Law Firm.
You should not be concerned with legal fees when your loved one has been taken away due to someone else’s negligence. With the Zero Fee Guarantee, all of our expenses are billed to the defendant and included in the settlement you receive from a lawsuit. In other words, we don’t make a penny unless you do.
To speak with a lawyer that can help you file a jail suicide lawsuit, contact us today.
