Bloom v. New York State Commissioner of Health

573 F. Supp. 2d 732, 2004 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 30774
District Court, E.D. New York·Decided July 28, 2004·No. No. 03-CV-4174 (JS) (ARL)·Published·Cited by 1 cases

Opinion

MEMORANDUM & ORDER

SEYBERT, District Judge:

William H. Bloom (“Plaintiff’ or “Bloom”), proceeding pro se, commenced this action against the Defendants on August 22, 2003. The Defendants are: New York State Commissioner of Health, Antonia Novello (“Novello”); Executive Secretary of the Bureau of Professional Medical Conduct (“BPMC” or “OPMC”1), Ansel [736] Marks (“Marks”); BPMC staff member, Leslie Fisher (“Fisher”), who Plaintiff describes as an investigator for the BPMC; Stephen Bermas (“Bermas”), an Administrative Law Judge for OPMC; Diane Abe-loff (“Abeloff’), staff attorney for OPMC; Alexander Bateman (“Bateman”), Plaintiffs former attorney; and the American Board of Neurological Surgery (“ABNS”), a private organization which administers the licensing of American neurosurgeons. Pending before this Court are Defendants’ motions to dismiss the action pursuant to Federal Rules of Civil Procedure 12(b)(1), 12(b)(5) and 12(b)(6). For the reasons set forth herein, Defendants’ motions are GRANTED, in part, and DENIED, in part.

BACKGROUND

Plaintiff commenced this action on August 22, 2003. On September 24, 2003, Plaintiff filed a First Amended Complaint, as of right, with this Court. In an Order dated October 21, 2003, this Court sua sponte dismissed Plaintiffs First Amended Complaint, without prejudice, for failure to comply with the pleading requirements of Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 8. Plaintiff was given leave to submit a Second Amended Complaint within 30 days. On November 5, 2003, Plaintiff submitted a Second Amended Complaint in which he alleges violations of 42 U.S.C. § 1983 during the state administrative process, administered by the OPMC, that ultimately resulted in the suspension and subsequent revocation of Plaintiffs state medical license.

The OPMC brought an action against Bloom for his alleged misconduct in conducting independent medical examinations. The OPMC hearing commenced on September 5, 2001. Plaintiff alleges that during the administrative hearing, the Defendants Bermas, Abeloff, Fisher, and Marks conspired to deprive Plaintiff of his constitutionally afforded due process. The allegations include: denial of Plaintiffs request for qualified counsel by Bermas; “encouragement of perjury” by Fisher of witnesses testifying against Bloom during the hearing, allegedly under the “guidance” of Abeloff; and “conspiracy to cover up multiple improprieties on the part of [the OPMC]” by Marks. Second Amended Complaint ¶ 4. On October 9, 2001, before the OPMC trial was adjudicated, Plaintiff consented to a resolution by signing a consent agreement providing that Plaintiff agree to his license being limited. The agreement set forth restrictions Plaintiff was to comply with and also provided that Plaintiff would not contest the charges that were brought against him. Plaintiff contends that the consent agreement was procured through fraud, coercion and intimidating tactics. Two years later, in an order dated November 17, 2003, the OPMC found that Plaintiff failed to comply with the restrictions set forth in the October 9, 2001 consent agreement, that lead to the revocation of Plaintiffs medical license. Plaintiff further alleges that his former attorney, Bateman, “deserted” him after conspiring with Bermas and Abeloff to leave Plaintiff without proper representation for the OPMC hearing in September of 2001.

Plaintiff seeks compensatory damages and injunctive relief in the form of reinstating his New York medical license, restoring his certification by the ABNS and ceasing alleged OPMC internet publications which Plaintiff claims disseminate false and defamatory information about his character.

DISCUSSION

A district court should grant a motion to dismiss under Rule 12(b) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure only if “ ‘it is clear that no relief could be granted under any set of facts that could be proved consistent with the allegations.’ ” H.J. Inc. v. [737] Northwestern Bell Tel. Co., 492 U.S. 229, 249-50, 109 S.Ct. 2893, 106 L.Ed.2d 195 (1989) (quoting Hishon v. King & Spalding, 467 U.S. 69, 73, 104 S.Ct. 2229, 81 L.Ed.2d 59 (1984)). In applying this standard, a district court must “read the facts alleged in the complaint in the light most favorable” to the plaintiff, and accept these allegations as true. Id. at 249, 109 S.Ct. 2893; see Scheuer v. Rhodes, 416 U.S. 232, 236, 94 S.Ct. 1683, 40 L.Ed.2d 90 (1974); see also Leatherman v. Tarrant County Narcotics Intelligence and Coordination Unit, 507 U.S. 163, 168, 113 S.Ct. 1160, 122 L.Ed.2d 517 (1993) (citing Fed.R.Civ.P. 8(a)(2) to demonstrate liberal system of ‘notice pleading’ employed by the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure).

On a motion to dismiss, the appropriate inquiry is not “whether a plaintiff will ultimately prevail but whether the claimant is entitled to offer evidence to support those claims.” Harriman v. I.R.S., 233 F.Supp.2d 451, 456 (E.D.N.Y.2002) (citing Scheuer, 416 U.S. at 236, 94 S.Ct. 1683). A claimant need only give a statement that gives the defendant “fair notice of what the ... claim is and the grounds upon which it rests.” Conley v. Gibson, 355 U.S. 41, 47, 78 S.Ct. 99, 2 L.Ed.2d 80 (1957).

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Bloom v. New York State Commissioner of Health, 573 F. Supp. 2d 732, 2004 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 30774 (E.D.N.Y. 2004).

573 F. Supp. 2d 732 (Bloom v. New York State Commissioner of Health) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

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