NY Prisoner Files Medical Malpractice Lawsuit Over Severed Finger

A prisoner in the Manhattan Detention Center filed a medical malpractice lawsuit against the City of New York and Corizon Health Services for an incident in which he lost a finger. The medical malpractice lawsuit, alleges that a Corizon doctor failed to give the prisoner, Rudolph Richardson, proper treatment after a cell door slammed on his hand. Instead of treating the injury, the suit alleges that Dr. Landis Barnes “briefly looked at Mr. Richardson’s hand” and told him to throw the severed finger in the garbage.

Medical Malpractice Lawsuit Cites Treatment Delays

The medical malpractice lawsuit cites the June 2014 incident in which Mr. Richardson severed part of his middle finger when a guard closed a cell door on his hand. Mr. Richardson bled profusely and went into shock. Many of the other bones in his hand were also crushed by the heavy steel door. Mr. Richardson went back to the jail’s common room to seek help, but had to wait more than ten minutes to have a guard escort him to the jail’s medical facility.

Medical Malpractice Lawsuit Alleges Poor Treatment

The complaint accompanying Mr. Richardson’s medical malpractice lawsuit also stated that Dr. Barnes, the detention center’s lead physician, told him that the severed finger could not be saved. After a cursory examination, Dr. Barnes reportedly told Mr. Richardson to toss the severed finger into the garbage. Mr. Richardson pleaded with Dr. Barnes for ice or a solution to save the severed finger. The medical malpractice lawsuit claims that Dr. Barnes “reluctantly fulfilled his request”, but did not fully wrap Mr. Richardson’s hand to stop the bleeding.

Emergency Surgery Cited In Medical Malpractice Lawsuit

Mr. Richardson’s medical malpractice lawsuit also claims that he filed an incident report with the guards. The guards handcuffed his bloody, severed, broken hand and transferred him to Bellvue Hospital for emergency surgery. The surgery was successful in reattaching the severed finger and setting the broken bones. However, the medical malpractice lawsuit also alleges that Mr. Richardson needs extensive physical therapy and may never regain the full use of his hand.

Medical Malpractice Lawsuit Shows Latest Corizon Incident

The Richardson medical malpractice lawsuit is only the latest incident surrounding Corizon Health Services. Last month, allegations surfaced that a doctor employed by Corizon at a New Mexico prison sexually assaulted dozens of prisoners. Reports also surfaced that the company refused to disclose data on inmate deaths to Florida prison officials. Over the last five years, Corizon has faced nearly 700 medical malpractice lawsuits from prisoners and their families.

Sources: Prison Protest (1) (2), New York Magazine

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