Inmate Allegedly Ordered To Perform Maintenance Work With Unsafe Equipment.
BY: LITIGATION DESK | BocaNewsNow.com
BOCA RATON, FL (BocaNewsNow.com) (Copyright © 2023 MetroDesk Media, LLC) — An inmate of Boca Raton’s private prison company Geo Group is suing the company, claiming that he was ordered to perform maintenance on a pipe in a correctional facility, but not given safe equipment to perform the work. As a result of the unsafe equipment, the inmate says he was critically injured.
James Lilly is now suing Geo Group for at least $30,000, the statutory minimum for filing a lawsuit in Palm Beach County Circuit Court. The alleged incident occurred earlier this year in the Moore Haven Correctional Institution in Glades County, Florida.
According to the complaint obtained by BocaNewsNow.com: “Plaintiff was incarcerated at the Moore Haven Correctional Institution under the care, custody and control of the Defendant. On or about March 9, 2023, while an inmate at the Moore Haven Correctional Institution, Plaintiff was instructed by the Defendant’s maintenance supervisor to cut a pipe in the boiler room to repair a leak in the pipe. Plaintiff was provided a cordless grinder by the Defendant’s maintenance supervisor to cut this leaking pipe.”
“The cordless grinder which was provided to the Plaintiff came with a stabilizing bar and a safety guard, but neither of these items were installed on the grinder when it was provided to the Plaintiff to cut the leaking pipe. At the aforementioned time and place, while the Plaintiff was using the cordless grinder to cut the leaking pipe, the grinder jumped off of the pipe striking the Plaintiff in his left hand/thumb, causing significant bodily injuries.”
The complaint additionally alleges: “As a direct and proximate result of the Defendant’s aforementioned negligence, the Plaintiff was injured in and about his body, suffered aggravation of previous condition, pain and suffering, disability, disfigurement, loss of enjoyment of life, loss of future earning capacity and will incur medical expenses in the care and treatment of his injuries following his release from prison. These injuries are permanent or continuing in nature and Plaintiff will incur these damages in the future.”
Geo Group had has not filed a response to the suit in Palm Beach County Circuit Court. Lilly is represented by the law firm of Thompson and Thomas, P.A., in West Palm Beach.
