On April 4, 2025, a Washington state jury returned its verdict in the amount of $25 million in favor of a man who was in custody at Pierce County Jail in Tacoma, Washington when his untreated blood clotting led to his foot turning black and gangrenous, and resulted in a below the knee amputation. The verdict was against the jail’s private health care provider, NaphCare Inc., and included $5 million in compensatory damages for physical and emotional harm, and $20 million in punitive damages. Pierce County reportedly settled the man’s claims against it for $1 million about one month before trial.
The jury reportedly found that NaphCare relied on nurses to work beyond their skillset to treat inmates, improperly relied on corrections officers to monitor the health of inmates in custody, and failed to communicate with jail staff regarding the man’s worsening condition, which pattern of behaviors amounted to violating the man’s constitutional right to adequate health care while in custody.
The man was incarcerated in the Pierce County Jail in June 2018 after being charged with driving a stolen vehicle. In September 2018, he suddenly began demonstrating signs of disordered thinking, he complained of being unable to sleep, and he was observed by corrections officers struggling to get off his bunk. Despite being noted as being confused and non-verbal with staff, he was not sent for a physical examination and he was placed in a segregated cell. Jail staff allegedly noted the changes in the man’s condition in NaphCare’s electronic medical chart system, but NaphCare’s medical staff allegedly failed to access the man’s electronic health records for ten days.
A corrections officer subsequently noticed that the man’s toes had turned black. The man was transferred to Tacoma General Hospital on September 30, 2018. After spending two weeks in the hospital, it was determined that the man’s leg was unsalvageable and he underwent amputation of his leg below the knee.
A NaphCare spokesperson stated after the verdict that NaphCare “fundamentally disagree with the outcome” and intends to file an appeal: “Despite the outcome of this case, we believe in the diligence and professionalism of our team.”
NaphCare states on its website: “Our commitment to excellence has no compromise. We deliver unmatched care, raise the bar of customer service and hold our products—and ourselves—to the highest standards because our partners, patients and employees deserve nothing less … Care isn’t just in our name. It’s at our core. We are caring professionals who respect the dignity and rights of all members of society. United by this belief, we work as a team to improve each and every life we touch … We are proud to be the first in the industry to develop a Proactive Care Model. Bringing innovative services, complete care and advanced technology solutions to correctional healthcare allows us to deliver the best care possible to patients we serve … Our Proactive Care Model means more onsite care and better patient outcomes. We emphasize early identification of medical and mental health conditions in order to intervene quickly and prevent health emergencies. Our integrated approach to patient care ensures medical and mental health clinicians are collaborating closely for whole-patient treatment planning.”
If you or a loved one were injured due to deliberate indifference or the lack of appropriate medical care while incarcerated in a prison, jail, or other correctional facility in Washington or in another U.S. state, you should promptly seek the legal advice of a local medical malpractice lawyer in your state who handles prisoner/inmate medical malpractice claims and may investigate your claim and represent you or your loved one, if appropriate.
Visit our website or call us toll-free in the United States at 800-295-3959 to be connected with prison medical malpractice lawyers in your state who may assist you.
Turn to us when you don’t know where to turn.
