A former Lane County Jail inmate who claims to have torn a rotator cuff in his shoulder after slipping on a wet floor has filed a personal injury lawsuit against the county.

Ronald Morales alleges he was walking down a jail hallway Aug. 14, 2024, when he slipped “in an area that lacked appropriate cautionary signage,” according to the lawsuit filed Tuesday, Aug. 4, in Lane County Circuit Court.

The lawsuit claims the water was not visible to Morales, and the county “knew or should have known that said water on the floor constituted an unreasonably dangerous condition.”

Morales claims he required surgery for his torn rotator cuff and also for preexisting arthritis in his left thumb aggravated by his fall.

The lawsuit seeks medical expenses of $176,257 and an additional $500,000 in connection with noneconomic damages related to possibly permanent effects from the injuries.

The lawsuit names the county as a defendant through the Lane County Sheriff’s Office, which operates the jail. A spokesperson for the county and a spokesperson for the sheriff’s office both declined to comment Wednesday.

The law firm of Dwyer Williams Cherkoss is representing Morales. The firm has offices in Bend, Eugene and multiple other cities in Oregon.