Cutting v. Down East Orthopedic Associates, P.A.

278 F. Supp. 3d 485
CourtDistrict Court, D. Maine
DecidedSeptember 30, 2017
Docket1:16-cv-00582-JAW
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 278 F. Supp. 3d 485 (Cutting v. Down East Orthopedic Associates, P.A.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Maine primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Cutting v. Down East Orthopedic Associates, P.A., 278 F. Supp. 3d 485 (D. Me. 2017).

Opinion

ORDER ON MOTION TO DISMISS

JOHN A. WOODCOCK, JR., UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

A disabled former patient brings this action against a medical provider, alleging disability discrimination in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act, 42 U.S.C. §§ 12182 et seq. (“ADA”), and the Maine Human Rights Act, 5 M.R.S. §§ 4571 et seq. (“MHRA”), The former patient suffers from Tourette’s syndrome, a disabling condition that causes her to experience involuntary motor tics. The motor tics result in involuntary arm- movements. The former patient sought treatment from the medical provider for a shoulder condition. She alleges that, in- the course of- their interactions, the medical provider humiliated, her and ultimately, refused to treat her for the shoulder problems. ,

The medical provider moves to dismiss the ADA claim asserting that the former patient lacks standing and that a disagreement with a. surgeon about the proper surgical procedure cannot be the basis for [489]*489an ADA claim.1 The medical provider moves to dismiss the MHRA claim on statute of limitations grounds. The Court denies the defendant’s motion to dismiss. (ECF No. 7).

I. BACKGROUND

A. Procedural History

On November 29, 2016, Carol Cutting filed a complaint against Down East Orthopedic Associates, P.A (“Down East”). Compl. (ECF No. 1). The Complaint con-' tains two counts of unlawful disability discrimination: Count I—violation of Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), 42 U.S.C. §§ 12182 et seq.; and Count II—violation of the Maine Human Rights Act (MHRA),. 5 M.R.S. §§ 4571 et seq. Id. at 5-6. On February 10, 2017, Down East filed a motion to dismiss the complaint under Rule 12(b)(1) and 12(b)(6). Def.’s Mot. to Dismiss Pl.’s Compl (ECF No. 7)'(Def.’s Mot.). Ms. Cutting responded on March 3, 2017. PI’s Opp’n To Def.'s Mot. To Dismiss (ECF No. 9) (Pi’s Opp’n). Down East replied to Ms. Cutting’s response on March 17, 2017. Def.’s Reply in Supp. of Mot., to Dismiss (ECF No. 10) (Def Reply).

B. The Alleged Facts2

1. The Parties

Carol Cutting is a resident of Bangor, Maine. Compl. ¶ 3. Ms. Cutting has suffered from Tourette’s syndrome for many years; this condition causes her to have repeated vocal and motor tics, including occasional arm movements. Id. ¶ 11. Based on the substantial limitations in major life activities caused by her. Tourette’s syndrome, Ms. Cutting is a qualified individual with a disability within- the meaning of the ADA and the MHRA. Id. ¶ 12. At all times relevant to the Complaint,- she- was a patient of Down East. Id. ¶ 5.

Down East Orthopedic Associates, P.A is a duly authorized Maine business corporation that operates a private medical practice in Bangor. Id. ¶ 4. D. Thompson McGuire, M.D. (“Dr.: McGuire”) is an orthopedic surgeon licensed to practice medicine in Maine and an employe^ of Down East. Id. ¶ 6.

2. Office Visit

In 2013, Ms. Cutting’s primary care physician referred her to Dr. McGuire for right-shoulder pain she had been feeling since experiencing a fall at home in 2011. Id. ¶¶ 9-10. Physical therapy and other conservative forms of pain management had not resolved the pain. Id. ¶ 10. On June 20, 2013, Ms. Cutting had her first and only office visit with Dr. McGuire. Id. ¶ 15. Down East is a place of public accommodation within the meaning of Title III of the ADA. Id. ¶ 14. At that office visit, Dr. McGuire diagnosed Ms. Cutting with acro-mioclavicular arthritis based on her constant shoulder pain, as well as possible rotator cuff tendinitis and impingement, and he devised a treatment plan consisting of right shoulder arthroscopy, subacromial decompression, and open distal clavicle excision, to be performed on November 13, 2013. Id. ¶¶ 15-16.

[490]*490During the office visit, Dr. McGuire noticed Ms. Cutting’s vocal and motor tics and treated her in a disrespectful, rude, and insulting manner. Id. ¶ 17. Dr. McGuire moved his seat across the room to create significant distance between himself and Ms. Cutting, stating, “I don’t want you to hit me,” in reference to her tics. Id. ¶ 18. The statement was humiliating and demeaning to Ms. Cutting, as her unavoidable tics are non-violent. Id. ¶ 19. Down East regarded Ms. Cutting as disabled based on the conduct of its employee, Dr. McGuire. Id. ¶ 13. Dr. McGuire never told Ms. Cutting prior to the time he performed surgery on her that her Tourette’s syndrome would have an impact on his approach to surgery. Id. ¶ 20.

3.Surgery

On November 13, 2013, Dr. McGuire performed arthroscopic surgery on Ms. Cutting’s right shoulder. Id. During the surgery, Dr. McGuire discovered that Ms. Cutting had a full-thickness rotator cuff tear with two centimeters of retraction. Id. ¶ 21. Dr. McGuire performed debridement of the area, but he did not repair Ms. Cutting’s rotator cuff tear. Id. ¶ 22. Dr. McGuire and/or his staff later explained to Ms. Cutting that her shoulder could not be repaired during surgery because she would “just tear it again” when she woke up from surgery, in reference to moving her shoulder during uncontrollable motor tics. Id. ¶ 23. '

4.Down East’s Failure to Make Modification

Down East, as a place of public accommodation, is obligated to make reasonable modifications in policies, practices, or procedures, when such modifications are necessary to afford such goods, services, facilities, privileges, advantages, or accommodations to individuals with disabilities. Id. ¶ 25. The modification that Down East should have provided to Ms. Cutting was to repair the rotator cuff tear during the surgery, and to provide her a shoulder immobilizer to address any concern of involuntary movement of her shoulder. Id. ¶26. This modification for Ms. Cutting’s disability was easily achievable and should have been obvious to Dr. McGuire. Id. ¶27. Providing such modification to Ms. Cutting would not have imposed an undue hardship upon Down East. Id. ¶ 28.

5.Continued Pain and Later Assessment by other Medical Provider

Ms. Cutting continued to suffer from daily pain and exacerbation of her rotator cuff tear for a year after Dr. McGuire refused to repair her shoulder. Id. ¶29. Plaintiff consulted with another orthopedic surgeon, Jessica Aronowitz, M.D., who ordered an MRI that was performed on November 23, 2014. Id. ¶ 30. Dr. Aronowitz reviewed the MRI with Ms. Cutting during a December 4, 2014 office visit in which she noted a full-thickness rotator cuff tear and recommended another surgery to repair the tear. Id. ¶¶ 31-32. To address Ms. Cutting’s Tourette’s syndrome, Dr. Aro-nowitz recommended a shoulder immobilizer following surgery to make sure Ms. Cutting did not move her shoulder during an involuntary motor tic. Id. ¶ 33.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
278 F. Supp. 3d 485, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/cutting-v-down-east-orthopedic-associates-pa-med-2017.