In the United States Prison officials are obligated under the Eighth Amendment to provide prisoners with adequate medical care. This principle applies regardless of whether the medical care is provided by governmental employees or by private medical staff under contract with the government.
Inmates have a right to health care under the Eighth Amendment constitutional right against cruel and unusual punishment. It is not a right to the best possible health care. But it is a right to at least…… that level of health care that a civilized society would think necessary.
Tragically, many inmates have long been denied even that minimal level of medical and mental health care, with consequences that have been serious, and often fatal.
Inmates are forced to wait months or years for medically necessary appointments and examinations, and many receive inadequate medical care in substandard facilities.
Seriously mentally ill inmates languish in horrific conditions without access to necessary mental health care, raising the acuity of mental illness throughout the system and increasing the risk of inmate suicide. A significant number of inmates have died as a result of the failure to provide constitutionally adequate medical care.
Today, The Insider Exclusive Investigative News team, “Goes Behind the Headlines” on location in Wyoming with John Robinson at the Jamieson & Robinson law firm, in “PRISONER’S MEDICAL RIGHTS IN AMERICA – Sal Lucido’s Story” to show that all Prison officials are obligated under the Eighth Amendment to provide prisoners with “adequate medical care.”
In order to prevail on a constitutional claim of “inadequate medical care”, prisoners must show that prison officials treated them with “deliberate indifference to serious medical needs.” What is deliberate indifference?
A prison official demonstrates “deliberate indifference” if he or she recklessly disregards a substantial risk of harm to the prisoner. Remember…. under the Eighth Amendment Inmates have the constitutional right against cruel and unusual punishment.
It’s not a right to the best possible health care. But it is a right to at least that level of health care that a civilized society would think necessary. What kind of health care is covered?
Many Inmates in the prison system suffer from many different serious medical conditions, including hypertension, epilepsy, diabetes, lupus and kidney stones. Inmates also tend to suffer from high rates of mental illness and substance abuse. As inmates age, they need the same kinds of geriatric care that the rest of us do.
Inmates have a right to health care for the full range of serious medical conditions. In this Insider Exclusive Investigative Special, we visit with John Robinson who discusses how Sal Lucido got the justice he deserved.
We will also get a better understanding to important issues like:
What does “Deliberate indifference to serious medical needs” mean?
And …. What kind of “adequate” health care is covered under the Eighth Amendment?
John has earned the highest respect from citizens and lawyers alike…. as one of the best Trial lawyers in Wyoming ….. and across the nation. He makes it his dedicated mission to get legitimate and truthful answers to what really happened to his clients in each case.
He sees it his mission to fight for people who had been harmed by the willful or negligent actions of others.
John has built a substantial reputation nationwide by consistently winning cases other law firms have turned down. His amazing courtroom skills and headline grabbing success rate continue to provide his clients with the results they need……And the results they deserve.
For additional information, Please contact John Robinson http://protectingwyoming.com/ (307) 235-3575