SEBOLT v. United States

CourtDistrict Court, S.D. Indiana
DecidedOctober 18, 2022
Docket2:20-cv-00009
StatusUnknown

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

Bluebook
SEBOLT v. United States, (S.D. Ind. 2022).

Opinion

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF INDIANA TERRE HAUTE DIVISION

PHILIP M. SEBOLT, ) ) Plaintiff, ) ) v. ) No. 2:20-cv-00009-JMS-MJD ) UNITED STATES OF AMERICA in its official ) capacity, ) ) Defendant. )

ORDER GRANTING IN PART AND DENYING IN PART DEFENDANT'S MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT

Plaintiff Philip M. Sebolt, a federal inmate, alleges that he is entitled to monetary relief because he received delayed treatment for a decaying tooth. The United States of America is allegedly liable under the Federal Tort Claims Act ("FTCA") based on the theory that the delay in treatment caused him pain and ultimately resulted in the loss of the tooth. The United States has moved for summary judgment. For the reasons that follow, the motion for summary judgment is GRANTED IN PART AND DENIED IN PART. I. SUMMARY JUDGMENT STANDARD Parties in a civil dispute may move for summary judgment, which is a way of resolving a case short of a trial. See Fed. R. Civ. P. 56(a). Summary judgment is appropriate when there is no genuine dispute as to any of the material facts, and the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. Id.; Pack v. Middlebury Comm. Sch., 990 F.3d 1013, 1017 (7th Cir. 2021). A "genuine dispute" exists when a reasonable factfinder could return a verdict for the nonmoving party. Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc., 477 U.S. 242, 248 (1986). "Material facts" are those that might affect the outcome of the suit. Id. When reviewing a motion for summary judgment, the Court views the record and draws all reasonable inferences from it in the light most favorable to the nonmoving party. Khungar v. Access Cmty. Health Network, 985 F.3d 565, 572-73 (7th Cir. 2021). It cannot weigh evidence or make credibility determinations on summary judgment because those tasks are left to the

factfinder. Miller v. Gonzalez, 761 F.3d 822, 827 (7th Cir. 2014). "[A] party seeking summary judgment always bears the initial responsibility of informing the district court of the basis for its motion, and identifying those portions of 'the pleadings, depositions, answers to interrogatories, and admissions on file, together with the affidavits, if any,' which it believes demonstrate the absence of a genuine issue of material fact." Celotex Corp. v. Catrett, 477 U.S. 317, 323 (1986). "[T]he burden on the moving party may be discharged by 'showing'—that is, pointing out to the district court—that there is an absence of evidence to support the nonmoving party's case." Id. at 325. In this case, Mr. Sebolt failed to respond to the summary judgment motion. Accordingly, facts alleged in the motion are "admitted without controversy" so long as support for them exists

in the record. S.D. Ind. L.R. 56-1(f); see S.D. Ind. L.R. 56-1(b) (party opposing judgment must file response brief and identify disputed facts). "Even where a non-movant fails to respond to a motion for summary judgment, the movant still has to show that summary judgment is proper given the undisputed facts." Robinson v. Waterman, 1 F.4th 480, 483 (7th Cir. 2021) (cleaned up). II. PROCEDURAL HISTORY

Mr. Sebolt initially filed his claim in the District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia. Dkt. 1. The complaint alleged that the United States, acting through dental personnel at the Federal Correctional Institution Petersburg in Hopewell, Virginia ("FCI Petersburg"), and the Federal Correctional Institution in Terre Haute, Indiana ("FCI Terre Haute") had been negligent with respect to their provision of dental care to Mr. Sebolt between January and February of 2013 while he was incarcerated at FCI Petersburg and between March of 2013 and December of 2016 while he was incarcerated at FCI Terre Haute. Id. at 4-7, ¶¶ 13-33. On January 6, 2020, the Eastern District of Virginia granted partial summary in favor of

the United States and dismissed Mr. Sebolt's claims relating to his time at FCI Petersburg because they were time-barred. Dkt. 42 at 9. It then transferred the case to this district. Id. III. FACTUAL BACKGROUND Mr. Sebolt has been housed in approximately five different federal prisons. Dkt. 97-1 at 11−12. He participated in admissions and orientation training upon his arrival at most of those facilities. Id. That training included education regarding the operation of Bureau of Prisons ("BOP") dental services, including how to access those services. Id. at 13. Mr. Sebolt has been familiar with the operation of the BOP dental sick call program since at least 2013. Id. at 27−28. A. BOP Dental Services Policy The BOP Program Statement on Dental Services, 6400.03 (USA-0004340460, the "BOP

Dental Services Policy"), governs the provision of dental care to inmates within the BOP. Under the policy, any inmate seeking comprehensive dental care may request care by submitting an Inmate Request to Staff Form or other form authorized by local policy and procedures. Dkt. 97-4 at 4.1 "Comprehensive dental care" is defined as non-urgent treatment procedures such as diagnostic exams, preventive services, and routine dental procedures including resin fillings, temporary crowns, root canals, and oral surgery. BOP Dental Services Policy, at 14−16, § 9(c). Inmates seeking comprehensive dental care are placed on the "[Electronic Medical Record]

1 The United States cites to the BOP Dental Services Policy in Dr. Oldham's expert report. The policy is also available on the BOP's website. Federal Bureau of Prisons, "BOP Policies," https://www.bop.gov/PublicInfo/execute/policysearch?todo=query (search for "6400.03 Dental Services"). The Court cites to the policy as needed. National Waiting List" and are seen based on the order of their placement on the list. Dkt. 97-4 at 4. The date the inmate is placed on the list follows the inmate from one facility to another. Id. The waiting list does not apply to urgent dental care. BOP Dental Services Policy at 19, § 10(a). "Urgent dental care includes treatment for relief of severe, acute dental pain, traumatic

injuries, and acute infections exhibiting the cardinal signs of infection. This includes a palliative treatment intervention that may include . . . extraction of non-restorable teeth[.]" Id. "Urgent dental care is the highest priority[,]" and can be requested by inmates on a 24-hour basis. Id. Inmates must be seen by a dentist within three business days of an initial clinical encounter, and maintaining a wait list for urgent care is prohibited. Id. An inmate who refuses part of a recommended treatment plan when receiving comprehensive dental care "is still eligible for urgent dental care." Id. at 18, § 9(g) B. Treatment at FCI Petersburg On February 3, 2013, Mr. Sebolt submitted a cop-out, or inmate request, for dental sick call urgent care. Dkt. 97-6. In order to alert FCI Petersburg staff that he had an urgent and painful

dental condition that required immediate care, Mr. Sebolt wrote, "Cop-out Sick Call Dental" at the top of that document, and in the body wrote, "I need a filling for a tooth that is in pain." Id.; dkt. 97- 1 at 40−42. Dental staff received the cop-out on February 5, 2013, and Mr. Sebolt received dental treatment later that day. Dkt. 97-6; dkt. 97-1 at 44. Dentist Dr.

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SEBOLT v. United States, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/sebolt-v-united-states-insd-2022.