Harrison v. Wellpath, LLC

District Court, D. New Mexico·Decided May 15, 2024·No. 1:21-cv-00395·Unknown

Opinion

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

FOR THE DISTRICT OF NEW MEXICO ___________________________

DANIEL HARRISON,

Plaintiff,

vs. 1:21-cv-00395 KWR/JFR

WELLPATH, LLC, ENRIQUE BURSZTYN, RADIOLOGY ASSOCIATES OF ALBUQUERQUE, THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF THE COUNTY OF CURRY, PRESBYTERIAN HEALTHCARE SERVICES, INC., PETER DURSO, MD, JOHN/JANE DOES,

Defendants.

MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER

THIS MATTER comes before the Court upon the following motions relevant to Defendant the Board of County Commissioners of the County of Curry (“Curry County”):  Defendant The Board of County Commissioners of the County of Curry’s Motion for Summary Judgment (Doc. 143);  Defendant The Board of County Commissioners of the County of Curry’s Motion in Limine to Exclude Testimony of Will Adams (Doc. 144); and  Plaintiff’s Motion to Amend or Correct Responses (Doc. 221). Having reviewed the parties’ briefs, the record, and the relevant law, the Court finds that Curry County’s Motion for Summary Judgment (Doc. 143) is well taken and therefore is GRANTED IN PART. The federal claims against Defendant Curry County and the John Doe correctional officers are dismissed. The Court declines to exercise supplemental jurisdiction over the state law claims. This is a medical negligence case arising from alleged misdiagnosis of, or lack of care for, Plaintiff’s stroke while he was detained at Curry County Detention Center (“CCDC”). On May 16, 2019, Plaintiff was taken to Plains Regional Medical Center (“PRMC”), a Presbyterian Health Services facility. While at the hospital, Presbyterian or Radiology Associations of Albuquerque, and its employees allegedly failed to identify his stroke. He was instead treated for

hypertension and discharged. Once he returned to CCDC from the hospital, he was placed in a holding cell for medical observation by employees of Wellpath, the medical contractor for the detention facility. Plaintiff was monitored by both Wellpath medical staff and Curry County correctional officers. The claims against Curry County generally stem from his stay in the holding cell, an 18- hour period between his return from the hospital to the following morning at approximately 8:00 a.m. During this time, Plaintiff asserts that the John/Jane Doe correctional officers were deliberately indifferent to a substantial risk of harm, as they also failed to identify or seek medical assistance for symptoms of his stroke while he was in a holding cell. Plaintiff also

asserts Monell claims against Defendant Curry County. As explained below, Plaintiff’s federal claims, including the deliberate indifference claims against the correctional officers and the accompanying Monell claims against Curry County (Counts I-III) are not well taken and are dismissed. All claims over which the Court has original jurisdiction have been dismissed. Exercising its discretion, the Court declines to exercise supplemental jurisdiction over the remaining state law claims. Therefore, the Court dismisses the remaining state law claims without prejudice to refiling in state court, pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1367(c)(3), (d). BACKGROUND

Plaintiff asserts claims against the following groups of defendants: (1) The Board of County Commissioners of the County of Curry (“Curry County”), which operated the detention center where he was detained; (2) Wellpath, LLC, the company contracted to provide 24/7 medical services at the Curry County Detention Center; (3) Presbyterian Health Services, LLC (“Presbyterian), which operated the Plains Regional Medical Center where Plaintiff was taken for emergency medical treatment; (4) and Radiology Associates of Albuquerque and its employees or contractors, related to the alleged negligent interpretation of his CT scan. On May 16, 2019, while detained pretrial at Curry County Detention Center, Plaintiff was seen by Wellpath nurses for severely elevated blood pressure. Plaintiff alleged that he had signs of a stroke, including elevated blood pressure, a headache, inability to feel his legs, inability to walk, dizziness, weakness, lethargy, and lack of coordinated movement. Plaintiff was taken to the emergency room, and was treated at a Presbyterian Health Services facility, Plains Regional Medical Center. Plaintiff alleges that he was evaluated by a Presbyterian doctor, and underwent

a CT scan, which was interpreted by a radiologist associated with Radiology Associates of Albuquerque. The radiologist allegedly reported normal findings. Plaintiff alleges that the doctors failed to identify or treat his stroke. Plaintiff was treated for hypertension and discharged back to CCDC. At CCDC, Wellpath nurses placed him in a holding cell for medical observation, but apparently did not contact the on-call medical provider. Plaintiff asserted the following claims in his First Amended Complaint: Count I: §1983 Fourteenth Amendment Violation of Due Process – Defendants Curry County and Employees John/Jane Doe I/II; Count II: §1983 Violation of Constitutional Rights Failure to provide medical care and treatment – Defendants the Board of County Commissioners of Curry County and Employees John/Jane Doe I/II; Count III: §1983 Violation of Constitutional Rights Failure to Train and Supervise – Defendants the Board of County Commissioners of Curry County and

Wellpath; Count IV: Negligence against all Defendants Count V: Medical Negligence against Wellpath, PHS, PRMC, RAA, Durso, Bursztyn, Hand, Bradley, and John/Jane Doe Count VI: Claim for Negligence Hiring, Training and Supervision against Defendant the Board of County Commissioners of the County of Curry, Wellpath, PHS, and PRMC. Count VII: Lost Opportunity for Better Medical Outcome Count VIII: EMTALA Violation against PHS and PRMC

See First Amended Complaint, Doc. 61. The Court denied Plaintiff’s motion for leave to file a Second Amended Complaint. In relevant part, Plaintiff attempted to amend the complaint to name the John/Jane Doe Defendants, correctional officers at Curry County Detention Center. As explained in that order, the Court denied the motion to amend, reasoning that the amendment was unduly delayed and futile. See Memorandum Opinion and Order, Doc. 274. The claims against Wellpath were dismissed following a stipulated motion for dismissal. See Joint Motion to Dismiss Party with Prejudice, Doc. 277. This dismissal included the claims against the John/Jane Doe Wellpath employees. Doc. 280. FACTS1 I. Plaintiff’s detention at Curry County Detention Center. At the relevant times in this case, Defendant was detained at Curry County Detention Center (“CCDC”), which is located in Curry County, New Mexico. Defendant Wellpath, LLC (“Wellpath”) and Curry County had a written contract for

Wellpath to provide medical care to detainees at the CCDC. Doc. 143 at 3, Defendant’s Statement of Material Facts (“DSMF”) ¶1 (undisputed). Following his arrest on May 2, 2019, Plaintiff was a pre-trial detainee at CCDC until May 17, 2019. Doc. 143 at 3, DSMF ¶ 2. Plaintiff was arrested on May 2, 2019 and taken to Plains Regional Medical Center (“PRMC”) a Presbyterian Health Services facility, for medical clearance. He was noted to have diabetes mellitus and hypertension. The treating physician at PRMC noted in Plaintiff’s record a belief that he was malingering. Plaintiff was discharged from the hospital and cleared for incarceration. Doc. 143 at 3, DSMF ¶ 3. At intake at the CCDC, during his initial screening by the Wellpath nursing staff, Plaintiff was noted to have high blood pressure. Plaintiff was

provided medication, but he did not respond to the medication delivered. A Wellpath nurse contacted the Wellpath provider and Plaintiff was sent back to PRMC for evaluation. Doc. 143 at 3, DSMF ¶ 3.

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