A Michigan man who suffered from an ulcer on his left foot and lost all of his residual toes as a result claims he was “refused” emergency medical treatment while incarcerated.
The case was filed on July 5 by 39-year-old Stockbridge resident Jon Messer through Rothis Law PC against the following parties: the Milford Police Department, Milford Township, Livingston County, the Livingston County Sheriff’s Office, the Livingston County Jail, as well as specific officers and medical staff.
The defendants had no access to the information about attorneys. The lawsuit claims that Messer, a long-time Type 2 diabetic, had multiple toes removed shortly before he was arrested because of diabetic ulcers.
According to the lawsuit, on July 12, 2021, Messer, a passenger, was being brought to the hospital for a diabetic ulcer on his foot when the car was stopped by Milford police for having missing license plates.
According to the lawsuit, when officers searched Messer’s identity in a police database, they discovered a felony warrant for stolen items.
According to court documents, Messer and the driver “begged” the officers not to hold them after being forced to depart the car because Messer was being taken to the hospital and “needed immediate medical treatment to avoid” losing more toes.
Read Also: Grief and Shock: Mother Witnesses Son’s Murder Over FaceTime
After being checked into the Livingston County Jail, Messer’s foot wound became infected, smelled bad, started to ooze, and personnel there “refused him necessary medical treatment,” according to the lawsuit. According to Messer’s legal team, he was transported to the hospital four days after his arrest and had the last two toes on his left foot removed.
The case claims that Messer’s constitutional rights as guaranteed by the Fifth and Fourteenth amendments were infringed.
Records indicate that he is requesting punitive damages in addition to an undisclosed sum of money.
