Jarvis v. Correct Care Solutions LLC

CourtDistrict Court, D. Colorado
DecidedSeptember 22, 2022
Docket1:20-cv-02028
StatusUnknown

This text of Jarvis v. Correct Care Solutions LLC (Jarvis v. Correct Care Solutions LLC) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Colorado primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Jarvis v. Correct Care Solutions LLC, (D. Colo. 2022).

Opinion

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF COLORADO Judge Charlotte N. Sweeney

Civil Action No. 1:20-cv-02028-CNS-GPG

JAMES JARVIS,

Plaintiff,

v.

LORI MCLAUGLIN, RN, HAS, CORRECT CARE SOLUTIONS LLC, WELLPATH LLC, BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF MESA COUNTY, MATT LEWIS, Sheriff, in his official capacity, KURTIS HOMES, DO, ALISSA EMBREE-NICHOLSON, RN, RENEE WORKMAN, RN, HEATHER MARTINEZ, HEATHER STANFORD, RN, SHAWNA ROCHELLE CHRISTENSEN, LPN, NICKOLE CHANTEL CROOMES, LPN DENISE MCALLISTER, LPN, and KATELYN STULTS, MA,

Defendants.

ORDER

Before the Court is Defendants Board of County Commissioners of Mesa County and Sheriff Matt Lewis’s (collectively (“Mesa County’s”) Motion for Summary Judgment (ECF No. 134), and the Motion for Summary Judgment (ECF No. 144) brought by Correct Care Solutions, LLC and Wellpath, LLC (collectively “CCS”), as well as Lori McLaughlin, RN, HSA; Kurtis Holmes, D.O.; Alissa Embree-Nicholson, RN; Renee Workman, RN; Heather Martinez, RN; Heather Stanford, RN; Shawna Rochelle Christensen, LPN; Nickole Chantel Croomes, LPN; Denise McAllister, LPN; and Katelyn Stults, QMAP (collectively the “Individual CCS Defendants’”).1 For the following reasons, Mesa County’s Motion for Summary Judgment is GRANTED in part and DENIED in part, and the CCS Defendants’ Motion for Summary Judgment is GRANTED in part and DENIED in part. I. Background This civil action arises from Defendants’ alleged failure to provide constitutionally adequate medical care to Plaintiff James Jarvis, resulting in long-term and permanent injuries (See ECF No. 101). On October 17, 2021, Mr. Jarvis filed his Second Amended Complaint (See id.). Mr. Jarvis brings three claims against Defendants: a claim against the Individual CCS Defendants

under 42 U.S.C. § 1983; a claim under Monell v. Department of Social Services of City of New York, 436 U.S. 658 (1978), against Mesa County and CCS; and a negligence claim against the CCS Defendants (see ECF No. 101). In its summary judgment motion, Mesa County contends Mr. Jarvis has failed to allege a direct liability claim against it and that he cannot show disputes of material fact exist regarding Mesa County’s indirect liability under § 1983 (See ECF No. 134). The CCS Defendants move for summary judgment on Mr. Jarvis’s claims against the Individual CCS Defendants under § 1983 and his Monell claim against CCS (ECF No. 144 at 3). The CCS Defendants contend Mr. Jarvis cannot establish genuine issues of material fact on his § 1983 claims against the Individual CCS

1 The Court refers to CCS and the Individual CCS Defendants collectively as the “CCS Defendants.” Defendants and his Monell claim against CCS (ECF No. 144 at 39). They do not move for summary judgment on Mr. Jarvis’s negligence claim. II. Legal Standard Summary judgment is warranted when (1) the movant shows that there is no genuine dispute as to any material fact and (2) the movant is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. Fed. R. Civ. P. 56(a). The factual record and reasonable inferences must be construed in the light most favorable to the nonmoving party. Self v. Crum, 439 F.3d 1227, 1230 (10th Cir. 2006). The moving party bears the initial burden, but once met, the burden shifts to the nonmoving party to “set forth specific facts showing that there is a genuine issue for trial.” Anderson v. Liberty Lobby Inc., 477 U.S. 242, 256 (1986). Ultimately, the Court’s inquiry on summary judgment is whether the facts

and evidence identified by the parties present “a sufficient disagreement to require submission to a jury or whether it is so one-sided that one party must prevail as a matter of law.” Anderson, 477 U.S. at 251-52. “[Q]uestions of intent, which involve intangible factors including witness creditability, are matters for consideration of the fact finder after a full trial.” Prochaska v. Marcoux, 632 F.2d 848, 851 (10th Cir. 1980). III. Undisputed Facts2 Mesa County contracted with CCS to provide medical services at the Mesa County Detention Center (the “Detention Center”) (ECF Nos. 144 at 5, 162 at 1). CCS employees provide medical care for inmates at the Detention Facility. On July 12, 2018, Mr. Jarvis was admitted to the Detention Center and Defendant Alissa Embree-Nicholson, RN, performed a “receiving

2 The undisputed facts are taken from both Motions for Summary Judgment and Responses thereto. screening” of him (ECF Nos. 144 at 5-6, 162 at 1). Throughout July 2018, Mr. Jarvis was a pretrial detainee at the Detention Facility. On July 25, 2018, during “med pass”—a period when CCS medical personnel distribute medications to inmates at the Detention Facility—Mr. Jarvis complained of vomiting, dizziness, and stumbling to a nurse (ECF Nos. 134 at 3, 148 at 2). The nurse instructed Mr. Jarvis to put in a “kite” (Id.) A kite is a written request for medical care (ECF Nos. 144 at 7, 162 at 1). Defendant Shawna Christensen, LPN, went to Mr. Jarvis’s pod at approximately 12:00 p.m. and also instructed him to submit a kite with his symptoms (Id.). Ms. Christensen did not conduct a medical examination of Mr. Jarvis or contact a registered nurse or medical doctor to perform an assessment of Mr. Jarvis (Id.). Mr. Jarvis submitted a kite on July 25, 2018, detailing his symptoms (Id). Ms.

Christensen saw Mr. Jarvis on July 25, 2018, and July 30, 2018 (ECF Nos. 144 at 5, 162 at 1). On July 27, 2018, Mr. Jarvis called his girlfriend Robin Finkel to say he was feeling unwell (ECF Nos. 144 at 9, 162 at 1). Mr. Jarvis submitted another kite on July 27, 2018. The Detention Center’s Director of Nursing, Defendant Heather Martinez, RN, responded to the kite (ECF Nos. 144 at 5, 162 at 1). On July 30, 2018, a Detention Center deputy sent Mr. Jarvis “to Medical” in a wheelchair, where Mr. Jarvis was seen by medical personnel (ECF Nos. 134 at 4, 148 at 3). Ms. Christensen noted at that time that Mr. Jarvis was seen regarding the kite he submitted. She did not contact a physician or emergency medical services (Id.). Ms. Christensen submitted a written referral to a nurse practitioner and sent Mr. Jarvis back to his pod (Id.). On the night of July 30, 2018, Defendant Renee Workman, RN, a booking nurse at the Detention Center, received a phone

call about Mr. Jarvis’s health (ECF Nos. 144 at 5, 162 at 1). Defendant Heather Stanford, RN, a clinical nurse at the Detention Center, saw Mr. Jarvis for healthcare related matters on July 30 and 31, 2018 (ECF Nos. 144 at 5, 10; 16 at 1). A Detention Center deputy sent Mr. Jarvis back to Medical on July 31, 2018. At that time, a nurse practitioner evaluated Mr. Jarvis, and based on his evaluation ordered that Mr. Jarvis be transported to the Emergency Department at St. Mary’s Medical Center (ECF Nos. 134 at 4, 148 at 4, 144 at 11, 162 at 1). There, Mr. Jarvis was diagnosed as having suffered strokes (ECF Nos. 134 at 4, 148 at 4). IV. Analysis Having reviewed the Second Amended Complaint, the Defendants’ Motions for Summary Judgment, related briefing, and relevant legal authority, the Court finds that disputes of material

fact exist regarding some of Mr. Jarvis’s claims. The Court addresses the Defendants’ Motions for Summary Judgment in turn, granting the Motions in part and denying the Motions in part. A.

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