Palmer v. Baldwin

CourtDistrict Court, S.D. Illinois
DecidedJuly 27, 2020
Docket3:19-cv-00313
StatusUnknown

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

Bluebook
Palmer v. Baldwin, (S.D. Ill. 2020).

Opinion

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF ILLINOIS

BILLY PALMER,

Plaintiff,

v. Case No. 3:19-CV-313-NJR

JOHN R. TROST, JOHN COE, GARY M. REAGAN, and DR. RITZ,

Defendants.

MEMORANDUM AND ORDER

ROSENSTENGEL, Chief Judge: This matter is before the Court on the motions for summary judgment on the issue of exhaustion of administrative remedies filed by Defendant Dr. Gary M. Reagan (Doc. 45), Defendant Dr. John R. Trost (Doc. 47), Defendant Dr. John Coe (Doc. 50), and Defendant Dr. Stephen Ritz (Doc. 53).1 Dr. Reagan also has filed a Motion to Dismiss for Failure to State a Claim (Doc. 36). For the reasons set forth below, the motion for summary judgment on the issue of exhaustion of administrative remedies filed by Dr. Trost is granted, but the remaining motions are denied. BACKGROUND Plaintiff Billy Palmer, a 65-year-old inmate of the Illinois Department of Corrections (IDOC), filed this action pursuant to 42 U.S.C. § 1983 for alleged deprivations of his constitutional rights. Specifically, Palmer claims Defendants were deliberately indifferent to his serious medical needs in violation of the Eighth Amendment when they 1 The Clerk of Court is DIRECTED to correct Dr. Ritz’s name on the docket to Dr. Stephen Ritz. failed to properly treat his prostate cancer (Doc. 1-2). Palmer alleges that from January 2014 to December 2015, he had elevated prostate-

specific antigen (PSA) levels on seven occasions (Doc. 1-2, p. 4; Doc. 1, p. 14). At that time, he was housed at Menard Correctional Center and was treated by Dr. Trost, who prescribed Flomax and Hytrin for his elevated PSA levels and enlarged prostate but ordered no additional diagnostic testing (Doc. 1-2 at p. 5). On December 29, 2015, Palmer was transferred to Lawrence Correctional Center, where Dr. Ritz and Dr. Coe reviewed his medical chart regarding the need for an

oncology consult. At that time, Dr. Ritz noted that Palmer had a history of elevated PSA and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) but had not had a prostate biopsy and had not been diagnosed with prostate cancer (Doc. 1-2, pp. 5-6; Doc. 1-1, p. 25). Palmer alleges that Dr. Ritz, in conjunction with Dr. Coe, denied Palmer an oncology consultation and instead directed Lawrence Correctional Center to look through Palmer’s medical records

for a “rationale” for an oncology consultation (Doc. 1-2 at p. 6). Palmer alleges that on February 25, 2016, Dr. Coe recorded in Palmer’s medical records that, “after coming to Lawrence, I could find no proof of cancer and needed to see you first. You are now approved to see urologist for his opinion.” (Id.). Dr. Coe then referred Palmer to Dr. Reagan, an outside provider at Crossroads Urology and Women’s

Health (“Crossroads”) (Doc. 1-2, p. 6; Doc. 1, pp. 26, 27, 28). On March 14, 2016, Palmer saw Dr. Reagan, who noted that Palmer had a two- year history of elevated PSA levels. Dr. Reagan recommended an ultrasound guided prostate needle biopsy (Id.). Dr. Coe made the referral for the biopsy, which was approved and performed in April 2016 (Doc. 1-2, p. 8; Doc. 1, pp. 35, 37).

The needle biopsy indicated “prostatic adenocarcinoma,” leading Dr. Reagan to order a whole-body nuclear medicine bone scan based on the diagnosis of primary malignant neoplasm of prostate (Doc. 1-2, p. 9; Doc. 1-1, p. 1). Dr. Coe made the referral for the whole-body scan and referred Palmer back to Dr. Reagan (Doc. 1-2, p. 9; Doc. 1-1, p. 7). In the rationale for the referral Dr. Coe stated, “He had been followed at Menard by Illinois Oncology LTD for suspected prostate CA since Jan 2014 and no one there even

mentioned a prostate exam.” (Doc. 1-2 at p. 9; Doc. 1-1 at p. 5). After the bone scan, Dr. Coe again referred Palmer to Dr. Reagan, noting that Palmer “has prostate cancer and negative bone scan. He needs to consider therapy.” (Doc. 1-2 at p. 9). Dr. Reagan saw Palmer on July 11, 2016, for a follow-up after the whole- body scan and chest x-rays, which did not show metastatic disease at that time (Doc. 1-1

at p. 8). Dr. Reagan recommended he have a repeat biopsy in one year but did not offer or provide any other treatment at that time (Doc. 1-2, p. 10; Doc. 1-1 p. 8). Dr. Reagan again saw Palmer in December 2016, and Palmer expressed concern about his prostate cancer (Doc. 1-2, p. 11; Doc. 1-2 pp. 10-11). Dr. Reagan told Palmer it is common for men in his age group to have a small area of low-grade prostate cancer

(Doc. 1-2, p. 11 ; Doc. 1-1 p. 12-15). They also discussed a repeat ultrasound biopsy as part of an observation protocol (Id.). Palmer next saw Dr. Reagan in August 2017 after Dr. Ritz approved a request for a repeat needle biopsy (Doc. 1-2, p. 12; Doc. 1-1, p. 20). On September 18, 2017, after the biopsy again showed adenocarcinoma, Dr. Reagan discussed various treatment options with Palmer, including another observation period, a radical prostatectomy, or radiation

therapy (Doc. 1-2, p. 13; Doc. 1-1, pp. 29-30). Palmer decided on radiation therapy, which Dr. Reagan noted was a “reasonable decision.” (Id.). In October 2017, another doctor at Crossroads recommended a CT scan of Palmer’s abdomen and pelvis, as well as a bone scan, to rule out metastatic disease (Doc. 1-2, p. 14; Doc. 1-1, p. 37). That doctor also indicated he would coordinate with Dr. Reagan regarding the PolyMark placement (Id.). On January 9, 2018, Palmer was taken to

Crossroads for placement of the polymarker by Dr. Reagan (Doc. 1-1 at p. 39). Palmer alleges the polymarker placement did not go as planned, and he was rushed to Lawrence County Community Hospital for treatment (Doc. 1-2 at p. 15). Palmer learned his blood was infected by the improper placement of the polymarker (Id.). In February 2018, Palmer began radiation therapy, which he tolerated well (Doc. 1-

2, pp. 16-17). As of early 2019, however, Palmer continued to have blood in his urine and pain when he urinates (Id.). Palmer alleges that at no time before late 2017 did Dr. Reagan or any other doctor tell him that radiation was an option as opposed to “observation therapy” (Doc. 1-2 at p. 14). Had he known that radiation was an option in 2016, he would have immediately opted for radiation therapy instead of allowing a year and a half to

pass before a second biopsy showed the cancer had spread to the right and left apex (Id.). Palmer filed one grievance related to his prostate cancer treatment (Doc. 46-1). The grievance, filed on October 11, 2017, at Lawrence Correctional Center states: In July of 2016, the doctor’s [sic] said I had cancer. Wexford Health care refused to start treatment for 15 months, and now the Cancer has grown. The doctor who diagnosis [sic] said that every old person Has small amounts of cancer in them. Therefore, since I am a prisoner I did not need cancer treatment. Now the cancer has spread and grown and become life threatening because of wexfords inaction in not seeking [a] second opinion. The cancer has caused me pain and suffering. I am in pain and health care really does not care. . . .

(Id.). Palmer also stated that he needed the Counselor to help him get his medical records in order to file for clemency and to be added to the deadline list for the law library (Id.). As relief, Palmer requested $1 million for pain and suffering and for Wexford refusing medical treatment for 15 months; information as to why his cancer had to grow and spread before treatment could start; and information as to why Wexford did not aggressively seek treatment in 2016 for his cancer diagnosis (Id.).

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Palmer v. Baldwin, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/palmer-v-baldwin-ilsd-2020.