Couple sues jail for negligence

The lawsuit contends the jail was negligent.
By LAURE CIOFFI
VINDICATOR PENNSYLVANIA BUREAU
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- Thomas J. Fox can no longer speak, walk or eat on his own.
Fox, whose age was not listed, has been confined to 24-hour nursing home care at Edison Manor on West Edison Avenue since suffering head injuries during a fight with two inmates at the Lawrence County Jail a year ago this week.
He and his wife, Jodi, who lives on Bowden Road, are now suing the jail for damages.
The Foxes contend there was negligence because the jail failed to treat his head wounds properly and implement a protocol for transporting inmates with head injuries. The lawsuit also states the jail did not monitor inmates who were known to have problems with Fox.
What they say happened
According to court papers, Fox, a jail inmate, was struck by two other inmates about 8:30 p.m. April 8, 2005, and was found about 15 minutes later by a corrections officer with red marks on his jaw and a large bump on the back of his head. He was bleeding from the back of his head and mouth and was disoriented, the lawsuit states.
Jail officials called two off-duty county deputies to take Fox to Jameson Hospital, and they left the jail about 9:30 p.m., according to court papers. He was later taken by helicopter to UPMC in Pittsburgh.
The Foxes' lawsuit contends that jail personnel should have called an ambulance and that the jail failed to monitor the two other inmates, who had expressed "ill will" toward Fox before the beating.
The couple has asked for a jury trial and damages in excess of $25,000 in the lawsuit. Fox's attorney Frank Natale did not return calls for comment.
cioffi@vindy.com