Jail Inmate Who Fell From Top Bunk Gets $4.75M Settlement
(CBS) -- A 33-year-old man who fell from a top jail cell bunk in 2014 is getting a nearly $5 million settlement from Cook County, now that it's been approved by the County Board.
An attorney for Michael Borys says the Southern Illinois man was visiting friends in Alsip three years ago and got arrested on a misdemeanor.
He had a history of seizures, and his attorney, Amanda Antholt, says a county doctor ordered Borys be placed in a lower bunk at the Cook County Jail.
"But that record was never communicated over to the jail staff until about two days later, by which time Michael had already fallen off of a top bunk when he had a seizure at around 2:30 a.m., and was permanently injured," the attorney says.
The settlement approved by the county board is for $4.75 million.
A spokesperson for County Board President Toni Preckwinkle says in a written statement, "President Preckwinkle continues to be concerned about the number of lawsuits brought against the county. Today alone, the Board approved settlements in the neighborhood of $12 million. The settlements, including the one you note, are a burden to County taxpayers, and point to the need for proper management and operational communication among staff."