Smith v. Linn County

WOLLE, Justice.

The narrow question presented in this case is whether a county must reimburse a person who incurs necessary medical expense after being arrested and taken to a hospital for treatment. The trial court found that plaintiff Larry Duane Smith was in the custody of the sheriff during his hospital stay and entered judgment against the county for the cost of his medical and hospital care based on the Iowa statute requiring that prisoners be furnished with necessary medical aid. We conclude that Iowa statutes do not provide a basis for plaintiffs claim and therefore reverse.

Smith was…