Martinez v. Nurse Laura

CourtDistrict Court, D. New Mexico
DecidedMay 3, 2022
Docket2:19-cv-01121
StatusUnknown

This text of Martinez v. Nurse Laura (Martinez v. Nurse Laura) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. New Mexico primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Martinez v. Nurse Laura, (D.N.M. 2022).

Opinion

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF NEW MEXICO

ANDREW MARTINEZ,

Plaintiff,

vs. No. CV 19-01121 WJ/KK

NURSE LAURA, ALISHA TAFOYA LUCERO-SEC. NEW MEXICO DEPT. OF CORR., CENTURIAN CORRECTIONAL HEALTH CARE, STEVEN H. WHEELER, M.D., PRESIDENT OF CENTURIAN HEALTH CORP. HEALTH CARE,

Defendants.

MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER OF DISMISSAL

THIS MATTER is before the Court on the Prisoner’s Civil Rights Complaint filed by Plaintiff Andrew Martinez Jr. (Doc. 1). The Court dismisses all federal claims asserted by Plaintiff Martinez, declines to exercise supplemental jurisdiction over any state law claims, and grants Plaintiff leave to file an amended complaint within 30 days. I. Factual and Procedural Background Plaintiff Andrew Martinez Jr. filed his pro se Complaint on December 20, 2019. (Doc. 1). Martinez is a prisoner in the custody of the New Mexico Department of Corrections. At the time he filed his Complaint, Martinez was incarcerated at the Southern New Mexico Correctional Facility (Doc. 1 at 1) but has since been transferred to the Penitentiary of New Mexico in Santa Fe. (Doc. 6). His claims appear to arise from an incident occurring at the Central New Mexico Correctional Facility in Los Lunas. (Doc. 1 at 2). In his Complaint, Martinez describes the nature of this action as: “I Andrew Martinez a NM State inmate #72162 while being housed at the prison in Los Lunas was given the wrong medication by the Pill Nurse at Med time in my cell. I received a severe allergic reaction where I was given two shots in my hip and placed in medical seg. for approx 1 week. I could not breathe, my throat, arms, chest, body swelled with sores and welts as a result. I was in alot of pain and distress, this has caused me severe skin scaring on my arms, body on approx. 1-25-19 at 9:25 am”

(Doc. 1 at 2). For Claim I, Martinez alleges that “Nurse Laura violated my 8th Amendment when she negligently gave me the wrong medication.” (Doc. 1 at 2). Plaintiff also contends in Claim II that “New Mexico Dept. of Corr. and Centurian Corr. health care, Nurse Laura showed a deliberate indifference in the wrongful administering of mediation to Plaintiff.” (Doc. 1 at 3). Last, in Claim II, Plaintiff states “New Mex. Dept. of Corr. and Centurian Health Care as well Nurse Laura were negligent in the care provided to the plaintiff and a lack of follow up concern for plaintiff. (Doc. 1 at 4). Martinez seeks $90,000 jointly and severally from each of the Defendants, court costs, attorney fees, and filing fees. (Doc. 1 at 5). II. The Law Regarding Dismissal for Failure to State a Claim Martinez is proceeding pro se and in forma pauperis. The Court has the discretion to dismiss an in forma pauperis complaint sua sponte for failure to state a claim upon which relief may be granted under either Fed.R.Civ.P. 12(b)(6) or 28 U.S.C. § 1915(e)(2)(B). A claim should be dismissed where it is legally or factually insufficient to state a plausible claim for relief. Bell Atlantic Corp. v. Twombly, 550 U.S. 544 (2007). Under Fed.R.Civ.P. 12(b)(6) the Court must accept all well-pled factual allegations, but not conclusory, unsupported allegations, and may not consider matters outside the pleading. Twombly, 550 U.S. at 555; Dunn v. White, 880 F.2d 1188, 1190 (10th Cir. 1989). The court may dismiss a complaint under Rule 12(b)(6) for failure to state a claim if “it is ‘patently obvious’ that the plaintiff could not prevail on the facts alleged.” Hall v. Bellmon, 935 F.2d 1106, 1109 (10th Cir. 1991) (quoting McKinney v. Oklahoma Dep’t of Human Services, 925 F.2d 363, 365 (10th Cir. 1991)). A plaintiff must allege “enough facts to state a claim to relief that is plausible on its face.” Twombly, 550 U.S. at 570. Under § 1915(e)(2)(B) the court may dismiss the complaint at any time if the court determines the action fails to state a claim upon which relief may be granted. § 1915(e)(2)(B)(2).

The authority granted by § 1915 permits the court the unusual power to pierce the veil of the complaint's factual allegations and dismiss those claims whose factual contentions are clearly baseless. Neitzke v. Williams, 490 U.S. 319, 327 (1989). See also Hall v. Bellmon, 935 F.2d 1106, 1109 (10th Cir.1991). The authority to “pierce the veil of the complaint's factual allegations” means that a court is not bound, as it usually is when making a determination based solely on the pleadings, to accept without question the truth of the plaintiff's allegations. Denton v. Hernandez, 504 U.S. 25, 32-33 (1992). The court is not required to accept the truth of the plaintiff's allegations but, instead, may go beyond the pleadings and consider any other materials filed by the parties, as well as court proceedings subject to judicial notice. Denton, 504 U.S. at 32-33.

The Court liberally construes the factual allegations in reviewing a pro se complaint. See Northington v. Jackson, 973 F.2d 1518, 1520-21 (10th Cir. 1992). However, a pro se plaintiff’s pleadings are judged by the same legal standards that apply to all litigants and a pro se plaintiff must abide by the applicable rules of court. Ogden v. San Juan County, 32 F.3d 452, 455 (10th Cir. 1994). The court is not obligated to craft legal theories for the plaintiff or to supply factual allegations to support the plaintiff’s claims. Nor may the court assume the role of advocate for the pro se litigant. Hall v. Bellmon, 935 F.2d at 1110. In deciding whether to dismiss the complaint, in whole or in part, the court is to consider whether to allow plaintiff an opportunity to amend the complaint. Pro se plaintiffs should be given a reasonable opportunity to remedy defects in their pleadings. Reynoldson v. Shillinger, 907 F.2d 124, 126 (10th Cir. 1990). The opportunity to amend should be granted unless amendment would be futile. Hall v. Bellmon, 935 F.2d at 1109. An amendment is futile if the amended claims would also be subject to immediate dismissal under the rule 12(b)(6) or § 1915(e)(2)(B) standards. Bradley v. Val-Mejias, 379 F.3d 892, 901 (10th Cir. 2004).

III. The Complaint Fails to State a § 1983 Claim

Plaintiff Martinez claims that his 8th Amendment rights under the U.S. Constitution have been violated. (Doc. 1 at 2-3). Section 1983 is the exclusive vehicle for vindication of substantive rights under the U.S. Constitution. See Baker v. McCollan, 443 U.S. 137, 144 n. 3 (1979); Albright v. Oliver, 510 U.S. 266, 271 (1994) (Section 1983 creates no substantive rights; rather it is the means through which a plaintiff may seek redress for deprivations of rights established in the Constitution); Bolden v. City of Topeka, 441 F.3d 1129 (10th Cir. 2006). Section 1983 provides: “Every person who, under color of any statute, ordinance, regulation, custom, or usage of any State . . .subjects or causes to be subjected, any citizen of the United States . . . to the deprivation of any rights, privileges, or immunities secured by the Constitution and laws, shall be liable to the party injured in an action at law . . .”

42 U.S.C. § 1983. To state a claim for relief under 42 U.S.C.

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