Q: What legal actions can I take against a county jail for medical neglect and financial mismanagement?
I was arrested last August for possession of a controlled substance and developed a severe abscess on my waistline while in holding. Despite informing guards daily, I received no medical attention for 12 days while the jail lacked medical staff due to a nurse's leave. The abscess, dangerously located near my main blood artery and organs, grew significantly and caused extreme pain. Guards refused hospital transport unless I was dying. By the time I received medical care, the surgeon stated I was 3-4 days from dying, and the condition required surgery and a hospital stay. Jail staff misled me about billing my insurance, leaving me with a $23,000 debt and $670 deducted from my jail account for medical fees. They often failed to take me to necessary wound care appointments, and when my bandages fell off, refused to provide medical tape to secure them, risking further infection. How can I legally address this extreme medical neglect and financial mismanagement?
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