RONALD A. WHITE, District Judge.
On July 12, 2016, Plaintiff as personal representative for the estate of Charles Martin filed her Amended Complaint against the Oklahoma Department of Corrections (hereinafter "ODOC"), Dr. Bliss, Lindsay Municipal Hospital Authority (hereinafter "LMHA") and Dr. Griesman, alleging that while he was in the custody of the Oklahoma Department of Corrections, Mr. Martin received inadequate and negligent medical care.
Plaintiff includes the following claims: (1) cruel and unusual punishment in violation of the Eighth and/or Fourteenth
For purposes of the motions to dismiss, the court accepts as true all of the factual allegations in Plaintiff's Amended Petition and construes those facts in the light most favorable to Plaintiff.
To survive the motions to dismiss, the Amended Petition "must contain sufficient factual matter, accepted as true, to `state a claim to relief that is plausible on its face.'"
In a case against multiple defendants, "it is particularly important . . . that the complaint make clear exactly who is alleged to have done what to whom, to provide each individual with fair notice as to the basis of the claims against him or her, as distinguished from collective allegations. . . ."
In her Amended Complaint, Plaintiff alleges that Mr. Martin suffered from diabetes and peripheral vascular disease. While in the custody of ODOC and housed in a correctional center in November of 2014, Mr. Martin noticed a blister on his foot. In December of 2014, he notified Dr. Bliss, a doctor at the correctional center, of the blister. Dr. Bliss had knowledge of Mr. Martin's medical history, including his history of diabetes-related amputation. Dr. Bliss placed Mr. Martin on antibiotics and put a Band-Aid on the blister. This blister continued to deteriorate and worsen. Mr. Martin complained to medical staff at the correctional center, but they made no changes in the treatment of the blister.
In January of 2015, Mr. Martin was sent to LMHA. Plaintiff believes that LMHA has a contract with ODOC to provide medical care to ODOC inmates. Dr. Griesman, a doctor at LMHA, examined Mr. Martin's foot and determined amputation of the toe would be necessary. On March 17, 2015, Dr. Griesman amputated Mr. Martin's toe to the first joint. Mr. Martin's toe turned black after the surgery. Dr. Griesman acknowledged that blood was not circulating to Mr. Martin's foot. Nevertheless, Dr. Griesman provided no follow-up care after the surgery. One day after the amputation, Mr. Martin was transferred back to the correctional center with instructions from Dr. Griesman to keep his foot bandaged.
After returning to LMHA, Mr. Martin's toe continued to deteriorate and blacken. Mr. Martin submitted a medical request in May of 2015. Mr. Martin was sent back to LMHA. At LMHA, Dr. Griesman did not treat the toe. Instead, Dr. Griesman sent Mr. Martin to a vascular surgeon at OU-Tulsa. OU-Tulsa medical personnel conducted tests, but Mr. Marin was not informed of the results. Mr. Martin received no treatment for his foot and was sent back to the correctional center. By May of 2015, the infection in Mr. Martin's foot had spread and two of his toes were completely black. Every morning, Mr. Martin went to the medical unit to have his foot bandaged. Medical personnel at ODOC saw Mr. Martin's foot every day and did nothing to assist him beyond bandaging it. Dr. Bliss saw Mr. Martin's foot many times and did nothing to assist him beyond bandaging it.
Mr. Martin was released on June 3, 2015. He then saw doctors and was treated, including having stents placed in his legs and other surgery. Mr. Martin passed away on February 2, 2016.
Plaintiff's first claim for relief is against Dr. Bliss and Dr. Griesman. She alleges that both doctors violated Mr. Martin's Eighth Amendment rights when they were deliberately indifferent to his serious medical needs. The Supreme Court has held that "deliberate indifference to serious medical needs of prisoners constitutes the unnecessary and wanton infliction of pain proscribed by the Eighth Amendment."
Dr. Griesman first argues that he was not a state actor and thus not subject to suit under § 1983. To state a claim under § 1983 against Dr. Griesman, Plaintiff must allege that while acting under color of state law, he deprived Mr. Martin of his "rights, privileges or immunities secured by the Constitution" or other federal law. 42 U.S.C. § 1983. Dr. Griesman is a private doctor who contracted to work for LMHA, a public trust. "In order to hold a private individual liable under § 1983 for a constitutional violation requiring state action, a plaintiff must show . . . that the individual's conduct is `fairly attributable to the State.'"
An individual's conduct is "fairly attributable to the state" when: (1) the deprivation is caused by the exercise of some right or privilege created by the state or by a rule of conduct imposed by the state or by a person for whom the state is responsible, and (2) the private party acted together with or obtained significant aid from state officials or engaged in conduct otherwise chargeable to the state.
The Tenth Circuit has noted that a hospital and individual doctors as employees of the hospital are subject to liability under § 1983 for Eighth Amendment violations when the hospital contracted with the state to provide medical care to state prisoners.
Second, Dr. Griesman argues that Plaintiff's allegations do not rise to the level of "deliberate indifference" required under the Eighth Amendment. "A claim of `deliberate indifference' includes both an objective and a subjective component."
"A medical need is considered sufficiently serious to satisfy the objective prong if the condition `has been diagnosed by a physician as mandating treatment or is so obvious that even a lay person would easily recognize the necessity for a doctor's attention.'"
Dr. Bliss first argues this action should be dismissed against him for failure to secure timely service in accordance with Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 4(m). Rule 4(m) requires a defendant to be served within 90 days after a complaint is filed. Dr. Bliss was first named in this action in the Amended Complaint filed on July 12, 2016. He was served on July 22, 2016, well within the time limitation.
Dr. Bliss next argues that Plaintiff did not sufficiently plead "deliberate indifference" under the Eighth Amendment. Dr. Bliss does not argue that Plaintiff failed to meet the objective component, but argues that he failed to meet the subjective component. The court disagrees. Plaintiff pled that Dr. Bliss knew of Mr. Martin's medical history and saw his blackening, deteriorating foot on a regular basis, yet did nothing except bandage it. Thus, Plaintiff has sufficiently pled that Dr. Bliss "knew of and disregarded an excessive risk to the inmate's health or safety."
Finally, Dr. Bliss argues that he is entitled to qualified immunity. "In resolving a motion to dismiss based on qualified immunity, a court must consider whether the facts that a plaintiff has alleged make out a violation of a constitutional right, and whether the right at issue was clearly established at the time of defendant's alleged misconduct."
As the court ruled above, Plaintiff has sufficiently pled that Dr. Bliss violated his Eighth Amendment rights. "In order for the law to be clearly established, there must be a Supreme Court or Tenth Circuit decision on point, or the clearly established weight of the authority from other courts must have found the law to be as the plaintiff maintains."
Plaintiff's second claim for relief is against LMHA. Plaintiff alleges that Dr. Griesman was negligent and that LMHA is vicariously liable for his negligence. LMHA's defense is based on Dr. Griesman's status as an independent contractor. As held above, the issue of his status is one of fact, not to be determined at this stage. Accordingly, the court will not dismiss this claim at this stage.
LMHA also argues that this claim should be dismissed for failure to attach an affidavit in compliance with 12 OKLA. STAT. § 19.1. When a plaintiff fails to attach such an affidavit to a complaint, a court may dismiss the case without prejudice to refiling or grant the plaintiff an extension of time to file the affidavit in compliance with § 19.1.
Plaintiff's third claim for relief is against all Defendants for cruel and unusual punishment in violation of Article II, §§ 7 and 9 of the Oklahoma Constitution pursuant to
Defendants argue that the
The Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals has noted that
Moreover, as has been previously recognized, "no court has specifically held
Both ODOC and LMHA argue that they are immune from suit for punitive damages under 51 OKLA. STAT. § 154(C). Plaintiff acknowledges that she may not recover punitive damages on the OGTCA claim, but argues that she is entitled to recover punitive damages on the
For the reasons stated herein, the motion to dismiss by LMHA [Docket No 45] is DENIED as to the OGTCA claim and GRANTED as to the
Additionally, the court orders Plaintiff to file an affidavit in compliance with § 19.1 no later than December 30, 2016. If Plaintiff fails to file the affidavit, the court will dismiss the OGTCA claim.