Orlando, FL asked in Civil Rights for Florida

Q: My girlfriend is being starved in jail due to her allergies, is there anything that can be done about this?

Since she got in, it took her 6 weeks before being able to get an allergy tray but they still feed her food she is allergic to and she already told medical and had it documented too but every time she lets the guards know that she cannot eat it, they would scream at her and tell her to eat it anyway. She has asthma too due to the allergies and they refuse to give her breathing treatment too. She has to fight days to get the breathing treatment. They also aren’t delivering her mail. They said that they have but I haven’t received any in over 2 months. I would buy her books on Amazon but they don’t always deliver the books. I spoke with the lieutenant of the jail and would get the runarounds. She wrote grievances about it but they refuse to give her a copy of her grievances. I’m very concerned for her well being

Related Topics:
1 Lawyer Answer
James L. Arrasmith
PREMIUM
James L. Arrasmith pro label Lawyers, want to be a Justia Connect Pro too? Learn more ›
Answered

A: It sounds like a really distressing situation, and it's understandable why you'd be so concerned for her safety and health. First, you should document everything in as much detail as possible, including dates, times, and names of the staff involved. This kind of evidence will be useful if you need to escalate the issue.

You may want to contact a lawyer who can advocate for her rights. There are specific legal standards regarding medical care and nutrition in jails, and her allergies and asthma should be taken seriously. Legal intervention can often push the jail to correct these issues more quickly than internal complaints.

In the meantime, try reaching out to organizations that focus on prisoner rights. These groups often have experience dealing with situations like this and can provide additional support. Stay persistent, and don't hesitate to escalate the issue to higher authorities if necessary.

Justia Ask a Lawyer is a forum for consumers to get answers to basic legal questions. Any information sent through Justia Ask a Lawyer is not secure and is done so on a non-confidential basis only.

The use of this website to ask questions or receive answers does not create an attorney–client relationship between you and Justia, or between you and any attorney who receives your information or responds to your questions, nor is it intended to create such a relationship. Additionally, no responses on this forum constitute legal advice, which must be tailored to the specific circumstances of each case. You should not act upon information provided in Justia Ask a Lawyer without seeking professional counsel from an attorney admitted or authorized to practice in your jurisdiction. Justia assumes no responsibility to any person who relies on information contained on or received through this site and disclaims all liability in respect to such information.

Justia cannot guarantee that the information on this website (including any legal information provided by an attorney through this service) is accurate, complete, or up-to-date. While we intend to make every attempt to keep the information on this site current, the owners of and contributors to this site make no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the information contained in or linked to from this site.