CHARLESTON – A prison inmate is suing Prime Care Medical Inc. after he claims a nurse failed to comply with proper medical standards.
Norman Ratliff was subjected to cruel and unusual punishment while he was a prisoner at North Central Regional Jail, according to a complaint filed Dec. 22 in Kanawha Circuit Court.
Ratliff claims on June 11, 2013, he went to the medical department to receive insulin for his Diabetes and the nurse, Stephany Tyson, who was employed by Prime Care Medical Inc., stuck herself with the syringe and cut herself, causing her blood to pour out of her hand.
Tyson then used the same syringe and stuck it into the insulin and drew it out of the small bottle to inject it into the plaintiff, according to the suit.
Ratliff claims the syringe was contaminated with Tyson's blood and that she was deliberately indifferent to his serious medical needs and his personal safety.
After Tyson stuck the plaintiff with the contaminated syringe, he asked if it was the same syringe he had just seen her use, to which she replied that she did not have any disease, according to the suit.
Ratliff claims he later became ill and experienced vomiting, fatigue, nausea, chills, sweats and numbness, among other side effects.
A correctional officer reported and witnessed the incident and Tyson's employment was terminated, according to the suit.
Ratliff claims Prime Care knew or should have known that Tyson was not properly trained and competent to perform medical services.
After Ratliff became severely ill and bedridden, Prime Care gave its nurses orders to not treat him for the injuries, causing him damages, according to the suit.
Ratliff claims the defendants were negligent and failed to comply with proper medical standards of care.
Ratliff is seeking compensatory damages in the amount of $250,000 and punitive damages in the amount of $500,000. He is representing himself.
The case is assigned to Circuit Judge Joanna Tabit.
Kanawha Circuit Court case number: 14-C-2075
