Written by: Sam Orlando
Warren County, Kentucky — Imagine a place where injuries are just a sprain until proven otherwise. A place where the miracle cure for a broken ankle is a heaping tablespoon of "suck it up." In the enlightened halls of the Warren County Jail, an inmate has filed a lawsuit that alleges this is exactly the cutting-edge treatment he received.
No Pain, No Gain?
According to the handwritten lawsuit filed on August 25, 2023, the inmate was required to work in the Warren County Jail's Kitchen with a broken ankle from July 3 to July 18, 2023. Yes, you read that right. Forget your run-of-the-mill spa treatments; nothing says rehabilitation like forced labor on a freshly broken ankle.
Doctors? Where We're Going, We Don't Need Doctors
The inmate alleges that he injured his ankle while playing basketball on June 26, 2023. He was "treated" by a nurse who, in an avant-garde approach to medicine, diagnosed it as a mere sprain and administered ibuprofen. The nurse's advanced diagnostic technique involved, it appears, zero imaging tests.
When the inmate's pain persisted, and he submitted multiple requests for medical attention, they all seemingly entered a black hole somewhere in the jail's administrative offices. Each day, he says, he complained to deputies and any nurse he saw, as if attempting to win a game of Human Suffering Bingo.
The Psychology of Neglect
And lest we forget, the inmate's psychological needs were also "meticulously" ignored until a psychiatric nurse mercifully intervened on July 19. Because when you're already limping your way through a jail sentence on a broken ankle, a little untreated depression is just the cherry on top.
The Road to Recovery?
It wasn't until July 21 that a nurse practitioner confirmed the ankle was, indeed, broken. As if touched by the healing wand of medical science, the inmate was finally sent to an orthopedic specialist three days later. There, the specialist ordered rest, crutches, and pain medication — groundbreaking treatments that were clearly too avant-garde for the Warren County Jail to consider.
Seeking Justice
The inmate is now seeking $100,000 in compensatory damages, $100,000 in punitive damages, and unspecified injunctive relief. One might argue that he is also seeking a modicum of basic human decency, but perhaps that's asking too much.
While the lawsuit promises to shed light on the alleged violations of the inmate's Eighth Amendment rights, one thing is clear: Warren County Jail has a unique take on "rehabilitation," and it's not one you'll find in any medical textbook.
It will be interesting to see how the legal saga unfolds. But for now, let us reflect on the old adage: "Pain is temporary, but a scathing lawsuit lasts forever."
Editor's note: All of the allegations referenced in this article were detailed in a lawsuit, which you can read here. A lawsuit is one side's allegations, not proof of liability and should not be considered as proven facts until adjudicated in a court of law.
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