Lee v. Trustees of Dartmouth College

958 F. Supp. 37, 6 Am. Disabilities Cas. (BNA) 666, 1997 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 4545, 1997 WL 151795
CourtDistrict Court, D. New Hampshire
DecidedJanuary 7, 1997
DocketCivil 94-521-SD
StatusPublished
Cited by9 cases

This text of 958 F. Supp. 37 (Lee v. Trustees of Dartmouth College) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. New Hampshire primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Lee v. Trustees of Dartmouth College, 958 F. Supp. 37, 6 Am. Disabilities Cas. (BNA) 666, 1997 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 4545, 1997 WL 151795 (D.N.H. 1997).

Opinion

ORDER

DEVINE, Senior District Judge.

In this civil action, plaintiff Kevin Lee, M.D., alleges that the above-named defendants terminated his participation in the neurosurgery residency program at Mary Hitchcock Memorial Hospital in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990(ADA), 42 U.S.C. §§ 12101-12117 (1995), and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, 29 U.S.C. § 794 (1985).

Presently before the court is the defendants’ motion for summary judgment, to which plaintiff objects.

Background,

In July of 1989 Dr. Lee entered the neurosurgery program at Mary Hitchcock Memorial Hospital (Hitchcock or Hospital), which is affiliated with Dartmouth College. Although the neurosurgery program involves seven years of training, Dr. Lee needed to complete only five years because he had al *39 ready completed two years of training in general surgery. 1

In his third year, while participating in a six-month rotation in neurology (required of residents) at the University of Michigan, Dr. Lee experienced numbness in his body below the waist. At the time, Dr. Lee thought he was suffering from a solvent-induced paresthesia because he recently had been exposed to an industrial solvent. He was told by his neurologist colleagues that his symptoms could last between six weeks and six months. However, when he returned to Hitchcock for the second half of his third year, his problems worsened, and he experienced a burning pain in his legs, buttocks, and waist.

In March of 1992, during the latter part of Dr. Lee’s third year, an MRI was performed at Hitchcock that revealed a lesion in his lower thoracic spine. A neurologist opined that the lesion was probably consistent with a diagnosis of either multiple sclerosis (MS) 2 or other conditions. See Deposition of Kevin R. Lee, M.D., at 109 (attached to plaintiff’s objection).

Following the MRI, Dr. Lee advised defendant Richard L. Saunders, M.D., chairman of the Hospital’s neurosurgery department, that he needed to take one week off to be evaluated at the University of Michigan. Further tests were performed in Michigan, where plaintiffs physician determined that Dr. Lee was likely suffering from transverse myelitis, a less debilitating disease than MS.

When he returned to Hitchcock, Dr. Lee discussed the findings and results with Dr. Saunders.. He then completed his third year of clinical surgical work without any accommodation or diminishment of his work load, although his symptoms in his lower body persisted.

In his fourth year, Dr. Lee left Hitchcock to perform research at the University of Michigan. While in Michigan, Dr. Lee met with a member of the Hitchcock neurosurgery staff, Dr. Perry Ball, who flew out in August of 1992 to discuss Dr. Lee’s future in neurology. During the course of the conversation, Dr. Ball made statements indicating that he believed Dr. Lee was suffering from MS and impaired hand coordination. Lee Deposition at 140. Dr. Lee assured Dr. Ball that he had only one spinal lesion, therefore precluding a diagnosis of MS.

In March of 1993, Dr. Lee spoke with Dr. Saunders and stated that his condition had improved. He also said that although he would like to do additional research, he was ready to return to clinical work at any time. See Journal of Dr. Lee at 13 (attached to plaintiffs objection). Dr. Saunders responded that Dr. Lee could not return and that his disability could not be accommodated. See id. at 13-15. Dr. Lee was subsequently terminated from the program by letter from Dr. Saunders dated May 6, 1993. The reasons given for the termination were that (1) Dr. Lee had not been able to pursue added clinical experience because of his neurological symptoms and (2) a return to clinical (surgical) service would be in the interest of neither Dr. Lee’s well-being nor patient care. Subsequently, Dr. Lee’s treating neurologist sent Dr. Saunders a letter on Dr. Lee’s behalf, but Dr. Saunders remained unmoved.

Discussion

1. Summary Judgment Standard

Summary judgment is appropriate when there is no genuine issue of material fact and the moving party is entitled to a judgment as a matter of law. Rule 56(c), Fed.R.Civ.P.; Lehman v. Prudential Ins. Co. of Am., 74 F.3d 323, 327 (1st Cir.1996). Since the purpose of summary judgment is issue finding, not issue determination, the court’s function at this stage “ ‘is not [ ] to weigh the evidence and determine the truth of the matter but to determine whether there is a genuine issue for trial.’ ” Stone & Michaud Ins., Inc. v. Bank Five for. Savings, 785 F.Supp. 1065, *40 1068 (D.N.H.1992) (quoting Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc., 477 U.S. 242, 249, 106 S.Ct. 2505, 2511, 91 L.Ed.2d 202 (1986)).

When the non-moving party bears the burden of persuasion at trial, to avoid summary judgment he must make a “showing sufficient to establish the existence of [the] elements] essential to [his] case.” Celotex Corp. v. Catrett, 477 U.S. 317, 322-23, 106 S.Ct. 2548, 2552, 91 L.Ed.2d 265 (1986). It is not sufficient to “ ‘rest upon mere allegation^] or denials of his pleading.’ ” LeBlanc v. Great Am. Ins. Co., 6 F.3d 836, 841 (1st Cir.1993) (quoting Anderson, swpra, 477 U.S. at 256, 106 S.Ct. at 2514), cert. denied, 511 U.S. 1018, 114 S.Ct. 1398, 128 L.Ed.2d 72 (1994). Rather, to establish a trial-worthy issue, there must be enough competent evidence “to enable a finding favorable to the non-moving party.” Id. at 842 (citations omitted).

In determining whether summary judgment is appropriate, the court construes the evidence and draws all justifiable inferences in the non-moving party’s favor. Anderson, supra, 477 U.S. at 255, 106 S.Ct. at 2513-14. Nevertheless, “[e]ven in cases where elusive concepts such as motive or intent are at issue, summary judgment may be appropriate if the non-moving party rests merely upon conclusory allegations, improbable inferences, and unsupported speculation.” Medinar-Munoz v. R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co., 896 F.2d 5, 8 (1st Cir.1990) (citations omitted).

2. ADA and Rehabilitation Act Claims

Lee’s claims under both the ADA and the Rehabilitation Act are based on his claim that he was discriminated against because of his perceived disability.

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Bluebook (online)
958 F. Supp. 37, 6 Am. Disabilities Cas. (BNA) 666, 1997 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 4545, 1997 WL 151795, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/lee-v-trustees-of-dartmouth-college-nhd-1997.