Pimentel v. Deboo

411 F. Supp. 2d 118, 2006 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 3321, 2006 WL 229899
CourtDistrict Court, D. Connecticut
DecidedJanuary 27, 2006
Docket3:04CV821 (JBA)
StatusPublished
Cited by17 cases

This text of 411 F. Supp. 2d 118 (Pimentel v. Deboo) 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
Pimentel v. Deboo, 411 F. Supp. 2d 118, 2006 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 3321, 2006 WL 229899 (D. Conn. 2006).

Opinion

RULING ON DEFENDANTS’ MOTION TO DISMISS

ARTERTON, District Judge.

Plaintiff Maria Joanna Pimentel (“Pimentel”) is currently confined at the Federal Correctional Facility in Danbury, Connecticut (“FCI Danbury”). She brings this civil rights action pro se pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1915. Pimentel asserts a claim she styles as “medical negligence.” Defendants have moved to dismiss this case on various grounds. For the reasons that follow, defendants’ motion is granted in part and denied in part.

I. Standard of Review

When considering a Rule 12(b)(6) motion to dismiss, the court accepts as true all factual allegations in the complaint and draws inferences from these allegations in the light most favorable to the plaintiff. See Scheuer v. Rhodes, 416 U.S. 232, 236, 94 S.Ct. 1683, 40 L.Ed.2d 90 (1974); Flores v. Southern Peru Copper Corp., 343 F.3d 140, 143 (2d Cir.2003). Dismissal is inappropriate unless it appears beyond doubt that plaintiff can prove no set of facts in support of his claim which would entitle him to relief. See Davis v. Monroe County Bd. of Educ., 526 U.S. 629, 654, 119 S.Ct. 1661, 143 L.Ed.2d 839 (1999); Sweet v. Sheahan, 235 F.3d 80, 83 (2d Cir.2000). “ ‘[T]he issue is not whether a plaintiff will ultimately prevail but whether the claimant is entitled to offer evidence to support the claims.’ ” York v. Association of Bar of City of N.Y., 286 F.3d 122, 125 (2d Cir.) (quoting Scheuer, 416 U.S. at 236, 94 S.Ct. 1683), cert. denied, 537 U.S. 1089, 123 S.Ct. 702, 154 L.Ed.2d 633 (2002). In other words, “ ‘the office of a motion to dismiss is merely to assess the legal feasibility of the complaint, not to assay the weight of the evidence which might be offered in support thereof.’ ” Eternity Global Master Fund Ltd. v. Morgan Guar. Trust Co. of N.Y., 375 F.3d 168, 176 (2d Cir.2004) (quoting Geisler v. Petrocelli, 616 F.2d 636, 639 (2d Cir.1980)). However, “[cjonclusory allegations or legal conclusions masquerading as factual conclusions will not suffice to prevent a motion to dismiss” from being granted. Smith v. Local 819 I.B.T. Pension Plan, 291 F.3d 236, 240 (2d Cir.2002) (internal quotation marks and citation omitted).

Additionally, a “case is properly dismissed for lack of subject matter jurisdiction under Rule 12(b)(1) when the district court lacks the statutory or constitutional power to adjudicate it.” Makarova v. United States, 201 F.3d 110, 113 (2d Cir. 2000). In resolving a motion to dismiss for lack of subject matter jurisdiction under Rule 12(b)(1), the court may refer to evidence outside the pleadings. Id. Evidence concerning the court’s jurisdiction “may be presented by affidavit or otherwise.” Kamen v. American Tel. & Tel. Co., 791 F.2d 1006, 1011 (2d Cir.1986). A plaintiff asserting subject matter jurisdiction has the burden of proving by a preponderance of the evidence that it exists. Makarova, 201 F.3d at 113; see also Malik v. Meissner, 82 F.3d 560, 562 (2d Cir.1996) (“The burden of proving jurisdiction is on the party asserting it.”).

II. Facts

The court accepts as true the following allegations taken from the amended complaint and attached exhibits.

Since her incarceration in December 1999, Pimentel has had a history of uncontrolled hypertension and obesity. Prior to this incident, she was evaluated in the chronic care clinic every three months and *123 was on a treatment program that included oral medication for high blood pressure and education on the complications of high blood pressure, smoking cessation, weight reduction, diet and exercise. On March 24, 2003, the Clinical Director evaluated Pimentel for hypertension and degenerative joint disease. At that time, her blood pressure was 150/100, pulse 80 and weight 248 pounds. The physician adjusted her medication and encouraged her to lose weight, stop smoking and start an exercise program.

On May 10, 2003, while she was taking a shower, Pimentel experienced a sharp pain in her head. The pain stopped when she got out of the shower and returned to her room to dress. Pimentel then went outside and sat on a bench. About fifteen minutes later, the pain started again. Pimentel called her roommate who called a correctional officer. They took Pimentel to see a doctor. At that time, Pimentel was experiencing pain on the left side of her head and the right side of her body was numb and shaking. The doctor told Pimentel that if she did not calm down and take it easy she would have a stroke. The doctor recommended relaxation and bed rest and instructed the correctional officer to have Pimentel return to the medical department at 1:00 p.m.

That afternoon, he told Pimentel to stay relaxed and report to sick call on Monday. That evening, Pimentel experienced the same symptoms. A correctional officer took Pimentel to see defendant Johnson. Defendant Johnson told Pimentel that, other than being overweight, there was nothing wrong with her and sent her back to the housing unit.

On Monday, May 12, 2003, Pimentel reported for sick call. Pimentel told defendant Santini that she was slurring her words and was unable to hold things in her right hand. Defendant Santini said that there was nothing wrong with Pimentel; it was probably nerves. She told Pimentel that she needed to lose weight, made an appointment for her for May 16, 2003, and sent her back to work.

When Pimentel was at work the following day, she told her supervisor that she still was having symptoms. He called the medical department. Defendant Santini again stated that she found nothing wrong with Pimentel even though Pimentel’s face was discolored and she had difficulty grasping things.

On the evening of May 14, 2003, Pimentel had a severe headache and felt confused when she tried to read. When she woke on May 15, 2003, she was unable to speak. Although her eyes were open, she was unable to comprehend anything her roommate said to her. Pimentel was unable to dress herself and was “off-balance” when she tried to walk. Pimentel’s roommate noticed that Pimentel’s mouth was crooked and that she had spilled water on herself when she tried to drink. Pimentel’s roommate and another inmate ran to the medical department and summoned help.

Emergency medical assistance was summoned and Pimentel was taken by ambulance to the local hospital. Pimentel suffered a cerebral vascular accident of the middle cerebral artery. Pimentel was transferred to the Federal Medical Center in Carswell, Texas (“FMC Carswell”) for evaluation and rehabilitation.

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Bluebook (online)
411 F. Supp. 2d 118, 2006 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 3321, 2006 WL 229899, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/pimentel-v-deboo-ctd-2006.