FATHER FILES SUIT OVER SON'S DEATH WHILE IN CUSTODY.Byline: Don Holland Daily News Staff Writer The father of a man who died while in sheriff's custody has filed a wrongful death The taking of the life of an individual resulting from the willful or negligent act of another person or persons. If a person is killed because of the wrongful conduct of a person or persons, the decedent's heirs and other beneficiaries may file a wrongful death action lawsuit, claiming a jail staffer failed to promptly call for medical care after his son fell ill with a bleeding ulcer. Victor Lee Grimenstein, 39, told jailers of his condition and passed a health check before being incarcerated incarcerated /in·car·cer·at·ed/ (in-kahr´ser-at?ed) imprisoned; constricted; subjected to incarceration. in·car·cer·at·ed adj. Confined or trapped, as a hernia. at the sheriff's main jail on July 30, 1997, according to the suit filed by the dead man's father, James Grimenstein. But while in jail, the ulcer started acting up, and jail staffers ``negligently delayed providing medications and medical care to (Grimenstein),'' according to the suit filed Friday in Ventura County Superior Court. The lawsuit said the delay allowed the Ventura man's condition to worsen before he was sent to the Ventura County Medical Center Ventura County Medical Center is a hospital in the city of Ventura, California, USA. It is a 208 bed acute care hospital. The county also operates a 49 bed campus in Santa Paula. . An infection developed in his abdomen, which led to septic shock Septic Shock Definition Septic shock is a potentially lethal drop in blood pressure due to the presence of bacteria in the blood. Description Septic shock is a possible consequence of bacteremia, or bacteria in the bloodstream. . Grimenstein, an oil field worker, died of shock and cardiac arrest cardiac arrest n. Abbr. CA A sudden cessation of cardiac function, resulting in loss of effective circulation. Cardiac arrest A condition in which the heart stops functioning. on Aug. 4, 1997, five days after being jailed. Grimenstein had arrests for being under the influence of drugs and possession of drugs for sale. When he died, he was serving a 30-day term for violating probation. In addition to the county, the lawsuit names California Forensic Medical Group, which contracts to provide medical care to jail inmates. Alan Wisotsky, an attorney representing the Ventura County Sheriff's Department The Ventura County Sheriff's Department (VCSD) provides law enforcement for the unincorporated areas of Ventura County, California, USA, as well as several cities within the county. The cities that VCSD serves are Camarillo, Fillmore, Moorpark, Ojai, and Thousand Oaks. , said the matter is currently being handled by the medical group's attorneys because the allegations pertain to care provided by the medical group. The filing of the lawsuit marks the first time the circumstances of Grimenstein's death have been made public. The suit claims $250,000 in damages. |
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