Jada Loutoo
The Tell has agreed to compensate an ex-prisoner who suffered burns after slipping on wet tiles on the Port of Spain jail in 2019.
Steffon Samuel, who labored within the jail’s kitchen, will receive $85,500 in damages. The Tell will also pay his dazzling charges.
He was as soon as represented by attorneys Joseph Sookoo and Abigail Roach of Potentia Chambers in a negligence lawsuit in opposition to the Tell.
His attorneys claimed the jail provider did now not meet its duties by taking cheap precautions for Samuel’s security while he labored within the kitchen. They said this resulted in him slipping on wet tiles while carrying a huge pot of coffee. The incident took space on November 28, 2019.
On the time, Samuel was as soon as serving a 3-yr sentence and was as soon as assigned to the kitchen and ration room as a server.
His duties incorporated serving assorted prisoners, getting involving perform, making tea and accomplishing garbage. He and one more prisoner had been suggested to switch a boiling pot of coffee from the stove to the assorted facet of the kitchen. The stove is found on a concrete platform and Samuel’s lawsuit said after revving one among the handles, he stepped off the platform when he slipped on wet tiles and the pot tilted in his direction. The boiling coffee fell on his fingers and upper body.
His lawsuit also said one more prisoner had slipped and fallen months earlier.
“There were no warning indicators or notices on swear indicating the tiles had been wet and there were no sprint resistance mats within the kitchen.”
Samuel was as soon as taken to the infirmary after which to the Port of Spain Overall Scientific institution. He claimed he suffered second-diploma burns to 11 per cent of his body, all of a sudden developed blisters on some areas, and needed to be given injections for the trouble. The more closely burned pores and skin needed to be debrided (elimination of damaged tissue) by doctors on the sanatorium.
For 2-and-a-half of months he returned to the sanatorium nearly day to day for his burns to be cleaned and dressed. The burns on his arm got contaminated twice, his lawsuit said.
It also took some two-and-a-half of months for his burns to heal and he “now has permanent scars.” The Tell’s consent was as soon as entered into on September 23, and accredited by Justice Kevin Ramcharan.
