$349,500 Settlement in Los Angeles Jail MRSA Suit
$349,500 Settlement in Los Angeles Jail MRSA Suit
Los Angeles County agreed to a $349,500 settlement in a class action alleging conditions at various jails in the county placed them at a heightened risk of contracting methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).
The suit had eight named plaintiffs claiming that between April 5, 2004 and November 8, 2005, within various facilities in the Los Angeles County jail system, “they were forced to sleep on the floor in vermin and cockroach-infested areas, use dirty mattresses and/or dirty linens, and endure overflowing urinals/toilets.”
Two of the named plaintiffs alleged that the conditions placed them at risk of contracting serious medical conditions and three of the named plaintiffs claimed that they contracted MRSA due to the alleged conditions. Another two plaintiffs alleged that they suffered from rashes to the extremities and the eighth plaintiff alleged that he suffered severe back pain, a large scab to his head, and numerous flea and tick bites on his arms, back and neck.
The Los Angeles County jail system has been subjected to federal oversight for several years, and on December 14, 2014, it was subjected to further oversight in an effort to remedy adverse conditions.
In March 2015, the county agreed to the $349,500 settlement. Prior to that agreement, it spent $263,533 on attorney fees and $31,997 in costs on the litigation. See: Davis v. County of Los Angeles, U.S.D.C. (C.D. Cal.), Case No. 2:04-cv-08251.
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Related legal case
Davis v. County of Los Angeles
| Year | 2014 |
|---|---|
| Cite | U.S.D.C. (C.D. Cal.), Case No. 2:04-cv-08251 |
| Level | District Court |
| Damages | 349,500 |