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Judge approves $1.5M in fees in prisoner health case
Peter Vieth//February 8, 2016//
Listen to this articleThe state has agreed to pay $1.5 million to lawyers who sued to force improvements in medical care for women prisoners.
The federal lawsuit led to reforms including performance monitoring by an outside expert on prison medical care.
The suit alleged that inmates at the Fluvanna Correctional Center for Women were persistently denied proper medical care.
Lawyers for the inmates reached agreement with the state in September. The lawyers then sought more than $2 million in fees based on a statutory formula providing for a top hourly rate of $211.50.
After negotiations, the two sides agreed on a fee award of $1.5 million, which was approved Feb. 5 by U.S. District Judge Norman Moon.
Moon also approved the performance monitoring plan as a means to address inadequate medical care. The judge said the evidence suggested “systemic violations” of constitutional standards through “a host of deficient policies, practices and procedures.”
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