Inmate suing state over chemical burns

CHARLESTON – A former inmate at Pruntytown Correctional Center claims she suffered chemical burns after being ordered to clean kitchen equipment with a strong chemical.

Angel Goff filed a lawsuit May 21 in Kanawha Circuit Court against the West Virginia Division of Corrections.

Goff is now incarcerated in Lakin Correctional Center in Mason County on forging and uttering and fraudulent schemes charges from 2004 in Raleigh County.

In her lawsuit, Goff claims she used to be an inmate at Pruntytown.

In May 2006, she claims an official there, Kim Prazonto, ordered her to use a chemical called "Mr. Muscle" to clean various parts of the facility's kitchen.

Goff claims she was not provided with protective gear against the chemical and was not told how to use the chemical, even though she told officials she didn't know how to use it.

Goff says she ended up getting severely burned on both arms by the chemical, which developed into at least one open wound which became infected.

Goff claims the state failed to treat the infection. The injuries have left her with permanent scarring, disfigurement and pain, the complaint says.

The plaintiff says she had previously filed a lawsuit over the incident, but it was dismissed by a judge because she did not provide a notice to the state nor exhaust the administrative remedies available to her.

She claims she has done all of that this time around.

She's seeking compensatory damages and legal costs.

Craig B. Griffin is representing the plaintiff. The case is before Kanawha Circuit Court Louis Bloom.

Kanawha Circuit Court case number: 09-C-956