David v. AMR Services Corp.

42 V.I. 420, 191 F.R.D. 89, 10 Am. Disabilities Cas. (BNA) 1047, 2000 WL 206054, 2000 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 1815
CourtDistrict Court, Virgin Islands
DecidedFebruary 15, 2000
DocketCiv. No. 1999-036
StatusPublished
Cited by3 cases

This text of 42 V.I. 420 (David v. AMR Services Corp.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, Virgin Islands primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
David v. AMR Services Corp., 42 V.I. 420, 191 F.R.D. 89, 10 Am. Disabilities Cas. (BNA) 1047, 2000 WL 206054, 2000 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 1815 (vid 2000).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM

MOORE, J.

Pending before the Court is the Motion to Dismiss filed by defendant AMR Services Corporation ["AMRS"] on July 19, 1999, [421]*421and the Motion to Amend the Complaint filed by plaintiff Jean O. David ["David"] on August 24,1999, The Court has considered the motions, the papers filed in support of and in opposition to the Motions, and the arguments of counsel at a hearing on October 15, 1999. For the reasons set forth below, the Court will grant AMRS' Motion to Dismiss and will deny David's Motion to Amend the Complaint.

I. INTRODUCTION

David filed this case on March 8,1999, alleging discrimination in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, 42 U.S.C. §§ 12101-213 ["ADA"]. David claims that AMRS discriminated against him by firing him instead of making reasonable accommodations when AMRS determined that he should be regarded as disabled because of a medical condition, in violation of the ADA. See 42 U.S.C. § 12112(b)(5)(A) (prohibiting discrimination against employees who are disabled); see also id. § 12102(2) (defining disability). AMRS filed a motion to dismiss for failure to state a claim under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(6), citing two recent Supreme Court cases. David responded on July 23, 1999, attempting to distinguish the cases relied upon by AMRS. AMRS filed a reply on August 4, 1999, making the motion ripe for adjudication.

A month after he had filed his response, on August 24, 1999, David moved to amend his Complaint, which AMRS has opposed. Both motions are ripe for adjudication.

II. FACTS

Because AMRS has moved to dismiss the complaint for failure to state a claim upon which relief can be granted, the Court accepts the factual allegations contained in David's complaint as true.1 See Sutton v. United Air Lines, Inc., 527 U.S. 471, 119 S. Ct. 2139, 2143, 144 L. Ed. 2d 450 (1999) (affirming dismissal of "regarded as [422]*422disabled" ADA claim). The following factual summary comes directly from the paragraphs of the plaintiff's complaint.

Plaintiff suffers from high blood pressure which he states does not substantially limit any major life activity as long as he "maintains a proper diet and medication." (Complaint ¶ 6.) AMRS hired David on October 28, 1993, as a Security Technician. (Id. ¶ 16.) David worked continuously for AMRS until he was out on worker's compensation leave from July 11,1994, to August 2,1995, due to a back injury resulting from a slip and fall accident. (Id.) AMRS laid David off on October 11,1995, after Hurricane Marilyn and recalled him to work in July, 1996. (Id.)

On May 24,1998, about two years later, David was sick for a few days, complaining of dizzy spells and weakness. (Id. ¶¶ 17-18.) David's direct supervisor called David and left instructions that he was not to return to work until further notice from the General Manager, Ms. Bohr ["Bohr"]. (Id. ¶ 18.) David met with Bohr on May 27, 1998, and "discussed his high blood pressure medical condition." (Id. ¶ 19.) Plaintiff alleges that Bohr "regarded his condition as an impairment" because she "advisfed] him that 'your medical condition will hinder your ability to perform your job responsibilities safely in the workplace.'" (Id.) Bohr told David not to return to work until his physician had completed a medical evaluation form. (Id. ¶ 20.)

On May 29, two days after this meeting, David's physician again diagnosed him with high blood pressure, but with "no restrictions to work other than prolonged sitting or standing for more than 6 to 8 hours." (Id. ¶ 21.) This evaluation was delivered to Bohr a few days later on June 1, 1998. (Id.) Instead of returning to work, however, David traveled to Puerto Rico for medical evaluation and hospitalization. (Id. ¶ 22.) On June 8, Bohr called David's home and spoke with his wife "inquiring about when could [the plaintiff] return to work." (Id. ¶ 23.) Bohr then told her that David was considered to be absent without leave and to have abandoned his job. (Id. ¶ 24.) David nevertheless alleges that he was not permitted to return to work. (Id. ¶ 21.)2 AMRS terminated David effective June 9, 1998. (Id. ¶ 25.)

[423]*423III. DISCUSSION

A. Motion to Dismiss

The Court limits its Rule 12(b)(6) inquiry into the sufficiency of David's claim to the contents of his complaint, as summarized above. See Pepper-Reed Co. v. McBro Planning & Dev. Co., 19 V.I. 534, 564 F. Supp. 569 (D.V.I. 1983). The Court cannot dismiss an action under Rule 12(b)(6) "unless it appears beyond doubt that the plaintiff can prove no set of facts in support" of the claims as pled which would entitle the plaintiff to relief. See Conley v. Gibson, 355 U.S. 41, 45-46, 2 L. Ed. 2d 80, 78 S. Ct. 99 (1957). The Court must assume the factual allegations raised in the complaint to be true. See Jenkins v. McKeithen, 395 U.S. 411, 421, 23 L. Ed. 2d 404, 89 S. Ct. 1843 (1969). The complaint should be construed liberally in the plaintiff's favor, giving that party the benefit of all fair inferences which may be drawn from the allegations. See Wilson v. Rackmill, 878 F.2d 772, 775 (3d Cir. 1989). "The issue is not whether a plaintiff will ultimately prevail but whether the claimant is entitled to offer evidence to support the claims." Scheuer v. Rhodes, 416 U.S. 232, 236, 40 L. Ed. 2d 90, 94 S. Ct. 1683 (1974).

David cannot base his complaint on the bare conclusory allegation that AMRS regarded him as being disabled; he must "allege particulars sufficient to sanction a factfinder in drawing a reasonable inference" that AMRS regarded him so. See Judge v. City of Lowell, 160 F.3d 67, 72 (1st Cir. 1998) (affirming dismissal of race discrimination civil rights claim). Further, when a plaintiff does plead specific facts, he is bound by them. Bender v. Suburban Hosp., Inc., 159 F.3d 186, 192 (4th Cir. 1998). When a plaintiff chooses to plead particulars that show that he has no claim, "then he is out of luck." Jefferson v. Ambroz, 90 F.3d 1291, 1296 (7th Cir. 1996), quoted in Bender, 159 F.3d at 192.

As a preliminary matter, David's complaint concedes that his high blood pressure does not substantially limit any major life activity as long as he maintains a proper diet and medication. (Complaint ¶ 6.) Plaintiff does not claim that he was terminated as a result of his disability, but rather that he was "regarded as [424]

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42 V.I. 420, 191 F.R.D. 89, 10 Am. Disabilities Cas. (BNA) 1047, 2000 WL 206054, 2000 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 1815, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/david-v-amr-services-corp-vid-2000.