Lake Pointe Medical Center and Rockwall County, TX

Dallas, TX: (Aug-10-07) Sharon Mann, the mother of 43-year-old William Ty Shugart, brought a wrongful death lawsuit against Rockwall County and Lake Pointe Medical Center, alleging that her son died as a result of their indifference and negligence. The lawsuit alleged that jail officials acted with indifference toward Shugart and that adequate guidelines weren't in place to deal with the effects of his opiate withdrawal. Mann claimed that the lawsuit's goal was to make sure another parent didn't have to lose a son in jail because jail officials consider him a drug addict and not a real human being with a soul. The suit named county Sheriff Harold Eavenson, jail administrator Bob Guzik and jail nurse Linda Bell as defendants. Sources state that Shugart died at Lake Pointe Medical Center after being sent away, without adequate medical attention in 2004.

As part of the settlement reached, Rockwall County and Lake Pointe Medical Center have agreed to pay $100,000 to settle the lawsuit. County officials stated that the County did not admit any wrongdoing or guilt, but that it was in taxpayers' best interest to settle the case rather than embark on an expensive trial. [DALLAS NEWS: INMATE OPIATE WITHDRAWAL]

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Published on Aug-14-07