Ruhmshottel v. United States

Opinion

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT WESTERN DISTRICT OF WASHINGTON AT TACOMA CAROLINE SMITH RUHMSHOTTEL, CASE NO. 3:20-cv-05425-RJB individually and as personal representative on behalf of Estate of Philip Eugene ORDER GRANTING UNITED RUHMSHOTTEL, and PHILIP EUGENE STATES’ PARTIAL MOTION TO RUHMSHOTTEL, DISMISS COMPLAINT Plaintiffs, v. Defendants. This matter comes before the Court on the United States’ Partial Motion to Dismiss Complaint (Dkt. 15). Defendant, United States of America, moves to dismiss one count of Plaintiff Caroline Smith Ruhmshottel’s complaint for lack of subject matter jurisdiction pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(1). The Court has considered the motion, Plaintiffs’ response (Dkt. 18), Defendant’s reply (Dkt. 19), the supporting documents, and the remaining file.

This matter arises out of injuries Philip Ruhmshottel allegedly sustained at the Vancouver Campus of the U.S. Department of Veteran’s Affairs, Portland Medical Center (“VA”) on May 14, 2019 after hospital providers negligently failed to prevent him from falling. Dkt. 1.

On June 11, 2019, Plaintiff Carolyn Ruhmshottel (“Mrs. Ruhmshottel”) filed a Standard Form 95 (“SF-95”): Claim for Damage, Injury, or Death with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (“VA”). Dkt. 15. This form identified the claimant as “Philip Eugene Ruhmshottel, submitted by wife Carolyn Ruhmshottel” and listed the basis of the claim as “[e]xtensive personal injury [that] occurred to Philip E. Ruhmshottel on the morning of Mary 14, 2019.” Id. The claim requested damages in the amount of $2,000,000 for “personal injury.” Id. at 2. Mrs. Ruhmshottel submitted supplemental letters on December 3, 2019 and December 5, 2019. In them she wrote, “[t]he traumatic brain injury received from the fall on May 14, 2019 has devastated Phil and our family. Phil went from an independent moderately active man to

now a homebound, frail, diminished, at-risk man.” Dkt. 18-1 at 10. The VA denied the claim on January 13, 2020. Dkt. 15. Mr. Ruhmshottel passed away on March 18, 2020, and Plaintiff’s counsel notified the VA of Mr. Ruhmshottel’s death by letter dated April 4, 2020. Id.; Dkt. 18-1 at 26. On May 5, 2020, Plaintiff Caroline Smith Ruhmshottel filed this lawsuit. Dkt. 1. The complaint brings two claims: one brought in her capacity as Representative of the Estate of Philip Eugene Ruhmshottel, and one brought in her individual capacity. Id. In the pending motion, Defendant moves to dismiss only the claim brought by Mrs. Ruhmshottel in her individual capacity. Dkt. 15. It is not clear from the complaint whether this claim is for loss of consortium or wrongful death, but Defendant argues it should be dismissed in either case because Mrs. Ruhmshottel did not exhaust administrative remedies before commencing this lawsuit, as required by the Federal Tort Claims Act (“FTCA”). In response, Plaintiff argues that the administrative claim filed in June 2019 applied to

both Mr. and Mrs. Ruhmshottel, and, therefore, Mrs. Ruhmshottel properly exhausted administrative remedies and may claim both loss of consortium and wrongful death. Dkt. 18. The parties agree that the maximum recoverable damages are $2,000,000, as alleged in the administrative claim. Id. A complaint must be dismissed under Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(b)(1) if, considering the factual allegations in the light most favorable to the plaintiff, the action: (1) does not arise under the Constitution, laws, or treaties of the United States, or does not fall within one of the other

enumerated categories of Article III, Section 2, of the Constitution; (2) is not a case or controversy within the meaning of the Constitution; or (3) is not one described by any jurisdictional statute. Baker v. Carr, 369 U.S. 186, 198 (1962); D.G. Rung Indus., Inc. v. Tinnerman, 626 F.Supp. 1062, 1063 (W.D. Wash. 1986); see 28 U.S.C. §§ 1331 (federal question jurisdiction) and 1346 (United States as a defendant). When considering a motion to dismiss pursuant to Rule 12(b)(1), the court is not restricted to the face of the pleadings, so it may review any evidence to resolve factual disputes concerning the existence of jurisdiction. McCarthy v. United States, 850 F.2d 558, 560 (9th Cir. 1988), cert. denied, 489 U.S. 1052 (1989); Biotics Research Corp. v. Heckler, 710 F.2d 1375, 1379 (9th Cir. 1983). A federal court is presumed to lack subject matter jurisdiction until plaintiff establishes otherwise. Kokkonen v. Guardian Life Ins. Co. of America, 511 U.S. 375 (1994); Stock West, Inc. v. Confederated Tribes, 873 F.2d 1221, 1225 (9th Cir. 1989). Therefore, plaintiff bears the burden of proving the existence of subject matter jurisdiction. Stock West, 873 F.2d at 1225; Thornhill Publishing Co., Inc. v. Gen’l Tel & Elect. Corp., 594 F.2d 730, 733 (9th Cir. 1979).

B. STANDARD FOR ADMINISTRATIVE EXHAUSTION UNDER FTCA The FTCA is a limited waiver of sovereign immunity for tort claims made against the United States. 28 U.S.C. § 1346(b); 28 U.S.C. § 2647. Before bringing a lawsuit pursuant to the FTCA, a plaintiff must first present his or her claim to the appropriate federal agency. 28 U.S.C. § 2675(a). Only after the agency denies his or her administrative claim may the claimant file a federal tort claim. Id. This requirement is “jurisdictional in nature, and thus must be strictly adhered to.” Jerves v. United States, 966 F.2d 517, 521 (9th Cir. 1992). The administrative exhaustion requirement applies equally to a derivative claim such as loss of consortium. See Johnson v. United States, 704 F.2d 1431, 1442 (9th Cir. 1983); Barber v.

Kone, Inc. 118 Fed. Appx. 276, 278 (9th Cir. 2004). This is because the purpose of the exhaustion requirement is to facilitate settlement at the agency level, but the agency cannot investigate a claim and work toward resolution without notice that a claim exists. Id.; citing Heaton v. United States, 383 F.Supp. 589, 591 (S.D.N.Y. 1974) (mere appearance of claimant’s wife’s name on SF-95 form “could not have put the government on notice that she was claiming loss of consortium and services.”). Therefore, without sufficient notice of a claim at the administrative level, courts lack jurisdiction to hear that claim. Id. 1. Loss of Consortium Mrs. Ruhmshottel did not present her claim for loss of consortium to the VA. The SF- 95 form identified Mr. Ruhmshottel as the claimant. Dkt. 18-1 at 5. In letters dated December 3 and December 5, 2019, Mrs. Ruhmshottel wrote, “I am writing on behalf of my husband Philip E. Ruhmshottel.” Id. at 10 and 13. While Mrs. Ruhmshottel was clearly facilitating her husband’s administrative claim, her signature on the SF-95 form and notice that his injury devastated the family did not clearly raise her own, individual claim.

Because Mrs. Ruhmshottel did not raise loss of consortium at the administrative level, the Court lacks jurisdiction to hear her claim. 2. Wrongful Death Similarly, Mrs. Ruhmshottel did not present a wrongful death claim at the administrative level. In a letter dated April 4, 2020 titled, “Re: My client: Philip E. Ruhmshottel through Beneficiary Caroline S. Ruhmshottel Administrative Tort Claim,” Plaintiffs’ counsel wrote, “This is our notice that the above client Mr. Philip Ruhmshottel, has died as a result of the fall for which his claim was made and you should update your claim accordingly as he is now deceased.” Dkt. 18-1 at 26 (emphasis added). This letter indicates that Mrs. Ruhmshottel was

involved in Mr. Ruhmshottel’s claim as “beneficiary,” not as an independent claimant. Accordingly, the Court lacks jurisdiction to hear Mrs. Ruhmshottel’s claim for wrongful death, and Defendant’s partial motion to dismiss should be granted. Therefore, it is hereby ORDERED that:  United States’ Partial Motion to Dismiss Complaint (Dkt. 15) IS GRANTED;  Caroline Smith Ruhmshottel is dismissed as a plaintiff in her individual capacity only. The Clerk is directed to send uncertified copies of this Order to all counsel of record and to any party appearing pro se at said party’s last known address. Dated this 21st day of April, 2021. A

ROBERT J. BRYAN United States District Judge