Lindsay v. University of Connecticut Health Center

CourtDistrict Court, D. Connecticut
DecidedFebruary 18, 2020
Docket3:20-cv-00173
StatusUnknown

This text of Lindsay v. University of Connecticut Health Center (Lindsay v. University of Connecticut Health Center) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Connecticut primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Lindsay v. University of Connecticut Health Center, (D. Conn. 2020).

Opinion

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT DISTRICT OF CONNECTICUT

: KEVIN LINDSAY, : Plaintiff, : No. 3:20-cv-173 (KAD) : v. : : UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT : HEALTH CENTER, et al., : Defendants. :

INITIAL REVIEW ORDER

Preliminary Statement Plaintiff, Kevin Lindsay (“Lindsay”), currently confined at Corrigan-Radgowski Correctional Center (“Corrigan”) in Uncasville, Connecticut, filed this complaint pro se under 42 U.S.C. § 1983. Lindsay alleges that the defendants were deliberately indifferent to his medical needs. The defendants are the University of Connecticut Health Center, Dr. Omprakash Pillai, Corrigan Medical, and Corrigan Correction Staff. Lindsay indicates within the complaint that he names the individual defendants in their individual capacities only. Although he states generally that he seeks damages and injunctive relief, Doc. No. 1 at 6, he lists only damages in his prayer for relief, id. at 30-31. The complaint was received on February 7, 2020. Lindsay’s motion to proceed in forma pauperis was granted on February 12, 2020. Standard of Review Under section 1915A of title 28 of the United States Code, the Court must review prisoner civil complaints and dismiss any portion of the complaint that is frivolous or malicious, that fails to state a claim upon which relief may be granted, or that seeks monetary relief from a defendant who is immune from such relief. Id. In reviewing a pro se complaint, the Court must assume the truth of the allegations, and interpret them liberally to “raise the strongest arguments [they] suggest[].” Abbas v. Dixon, 480 F.3d 636, 639 (2d Cir. 2007). see also Tracy v. Freshwater, 623 F.3d 90, 101-02 (2d Cir. 2010) (discussing special rules of solicitude for pro se litigants). Although detailed allegations are not required, the complaint must include sufficient

facts to afford the defendants fair notice of the claims and the grounds upon which they are based and to demonstrate a right to relief. Bell Atlantic v. Twombly, 550 U.S. 544, 555-56 (2007). Conclusory allegations are not sufficient. Ashcroft v. Iqbal, 556 U.S. 662, 678 (2009). The plaintiff must plead “enough facts to state a claim to relief that is plausible on its face.” Twombly, 550 U.S. at 570. Allegations1 During a sick call visit to the MacDougall Correctional Institution (“MacDougall”) medical department on December 22, 2014, Lindsay reported that he had to strain during bowel movements and requested a prostate examination and a colonoscopy. Doc. No. 1 at 12 ¶ 1 & 18-

19 ¶¶ 1-5. Dr. Pillai ordered that a stool sample be collected and tested. Id. at 13 ¶ 2 & 19 ¶ 6. The test showed that a prostate indicator was high, registering 4.4 on the range of 0.0 to 4.0, but no further tests were ordered. Id. at 13 ¶ 3 & 19 ¶ 6. From 2014 until 2016, no further tests were

1 Lindsay’s complaint consists of several documents submitted together. The documents are entitled: “Cause of Action,” Doc. No. 1 at 1-5: “Jury Trial Demaned verified Complaint for Damages and Injunctive Relief,” Id. at 6-9; and “Statement of Claim/Caption,” Id. at 10-32. Each document includes a description of facts underlying Lindsay’s claim. Although the descriptions describe the same alleged mistreatment, each includes information not included in others. The various descriptions also attribute actions to different persons and state that events occurred on different dates. The court refers to information from all three descriptions to present a complete description of the incidents underlying the complaint. Where Lindsay has submitted medical reports clarifying the dates or events, the court refers to the medical reports. 2 performed and no concerns were communicated to Lindsay regarding his prostate. Id. at 13 ¶ 4. On February 22, 2017, Lindsay was transferred to Corrigan. Id. at 13 ¶ 5 & 19 ¶ 7. During a medical visit for other issues, Lindsay sought a “screening” because he was experiencing stomach pain. Id. When he told the medical provider that he was still waiting for a colon exam, the provider said that no test had been ordered or scheduled. Id.

Two years later, on February 5, 2019, May 27, 2019, June 26, 2019, and July 11, 2019, Lindsay submitted requests to the medical department seeking a colonoscopy and treatment for his stomach pains. Id. at 13 ¶ 6 & 19 ¶ 8. In the May 27 request, Lindsay stated that he has been prescribed 3 Tylenol pills 3-4 times per day. Id. at 14 ¶ 8. He complained that nothing was being done to address his stomach pains and severe cramping. Id. Lindsay alleges that Nurse Kayla told him that he had been on the list to see “the provider” since March. Id. at 14 ¶ 8 & 19 ¶ 9. On June 26, 2019, Lindsay reported that he had seen the doctor on May 14, 2019, before he submitted the prior request. Id. ¶ 9. Lindsay asked that the Tylenol prescription be discontinued because it did not ease his stomach pain and complained of difficulty urinating. Id. at 14 ¶ 9 &

19 ¶ 10. On August 19, 2019, Lindsay met with APRN Williams. Id. at 14 ¶ 10 & 20 ¶ 11. She told him that kidney, liver, and thyroid tests were good, but his prostate antigen was high. Id. at 14 ¶ 10 & 3 ¶ 6. She said this could be a reason for Lindsay’s difficulty urinating and placed him on the list to see a urologist to determine whether a prostate biopsy was needed. Id. at 15 ¶ 11. Lindsay was prescribed Tamsulosin to help with urination. Id. at 15 ¶ 11 & 3 ¶ 6. An x-ray also showed that Lindsay was constipated. Id. at 15 ¶ 11. On August 19, 2019, APRN Williams requested an appointment at the University of 3 Connecticut Health Center. Id. at 20 ¶ 12. Lindsay alleges that, sometime before November 25, 2019, he learned that the appointment had not been scheduled and APRN Williams did not understand why. Id. at 15 ¶ 12. Lindsay states, however, that he was seen at the University of Connecticut on November 2, 2019. Id. at 15 ¶ 13 & 20 ¶ 13. He was seen by a urologist who told Lindsay that his prostate had doubled in size in a short period of time. Id.

On October 30, 2019, Lindsay was instructed to maintain a urination journal, recording urine output. Id. at 45. Between November 4 and 24, 2019, Lindsay’s urine output dropped and his pain increased. Id. at 17 & 20 ¶ 18. No one monitored the report to see the decline in urine production. Id. at 16, 17, 22. November 24, 2019 at 8:30 p.m., was the last time Lindsay was able to urinate. Id. at 17 & 20 ¶ 16. On November 21 or 24, 2019, Lindsay told the nurse on the “pill line” that he was experiencing a lot of pain and had difficulty urinating. Id. at 22 & 3 ¶ 9. She told him to drink a lot of water and try to relax. Id. About 1:00 a.m. on November 25, 2019, Lindsay woke with an urge to urinate. Id. at 15 ¶

14 & 20 ¶ 18. He was able to produce only a few drops. Id. at 15 ¶ 14 & 20 ¶ 20. He experienced severe pain that caused his legs to shake. Id. at 15 ¶ 14 & 3 ¶ 13. This continued until custodial staff opened his door for morning recreation between 8:30 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. Id. at 15 ¶ 14, 22 & 4 ¶ 14. Officer Conrad noticed that something was wrong and immediately summoned medical staff. Id. Although security staff made rounds every half hour, no officer checked on Lindsay. Id. at 5 ¶ 18. Lindsay alleges that medical staff had tried to insert a catheter to release pressure on his stomach. Id. at 16, 48. Staff was unaware that Lindsay’s enlarged prostate had caused his bladder 4 to collapse. Id. at 16. Nurse Shaw tried to straighten the catheter and made a hole in Lindsay’s bladder. Id.

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Lindsay v. University of Connecticut Health Center, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/lindsay-v-university-of-connecticut-health-center-ctd-2020.