Snell v. Erickson

CourtDistrict Court, D. Oregon
DecidedAugust 3, 2021
Docket3:20-cv-01771
StatusUnknown

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

Bluebook
Snell v. Erickson, (D. Or. 2021).

Opinion

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF OREGON PORTLAND DIVISION

RENEE M. SNELL, Plaintiff, No. 3:20-cv-01771-MO v. OPINION AND ORDER EMILY GERACT, Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor, Defendant.

MOSMAN, J., Before me is Defendant Emily Geraci’s Motion for Summary Judgment [ECF 153] and Motion for Permanent Injunction [ECF 160]. Also before me is Plaintiff Renee M. Snell’s Emergency Motion [ECF 156], Motion for Summary Judgment [ECF 163], and Motion for Equitable Relief [ECF 165]. For the following reasons, | GRANT Ms. Geraci’s motions, DENY Ms. Snell’s motions, and DISMISS this case with prejudice. BACKGROUND I. Prior Lawsuits Plaintiff Renee M. Snell and the Oregon Department of Human Services, Vocational Rehabilitation (“VR”) have a long, litigious history with one another. In a prior case before this district, Judge Simon described that history. See Snell v. Dep’t of Hum. Servs. (Snell I, No. 3:18-

1 — OPINION AND ORDER

cv-00227-SI, 2019 WL 3467924, at *3—-5 (D. Or. July 31, 2019). I summarize his description here. In 2001, Ms. Snell first sought services from VR. VR engaged an employment firm to her find work. However, Ms. Snell was unwilling to share information about her disability and necessary accommodations with prospective employers, causing her assigned job developer to question whether Ms. Snell had the requisite social skills to secure employment. After a meeting with her team, Ms. Snell became angry, and VR determined a psychological evaluation was necessary. Ms, Snell refused the evaluation, and a hearing was held. The hearing officer affirmed VR’s decision to require the evaluation. In 2016, Ms. Snell again sought services from VR, and the same problems of the prior

decade arose once more. Ms. Snell refused a cognitive assessment. She revoked her consent to release of information, hindering VR’s ability to help her secure work. Another team meeting was held, again unsuccessfully. Ms. Snell refused to undergo further assessment and requested another hearing. The hearing officer determined that VR was within its rights to request assessments of Ms. Snell’s barriers to work. Despite the breakdowns, VR continued to work with Ms. Snell. VR engaged another employment firm. Ms. Snell requested a job with retirement benefits, asked to work 17 hours per week, requested an office job, and opposed sedentary work. She refused to take an assessment of her skills and interests. The firm determined it could not work with Ms. Snell. VR engaged another employment firm. After multiple attempts to work with Ms. Snell, and like the firms that came before it, this firm ultimately concluded it could not with Ms. Snell.

2 OPINION AND ORDER

Given her lack of progress, VR determined a neuropsychological assessment was necessary. Ms. Snell refused. A hearing was held. Ms. Snell repeatedly refused to follow the hearing officer’s instructions. After the hearing officer initially ruled against her, Ms. Snell sent the officer over 200 emails. Ms. Snell appealed to a reviewing official. The reviewing official found that Ms. Snell had cognitive and behavioral problems. The official found that Ms. Snell had consistently demonstrated an inability to work with others, often sending multiple emails to VR, at all hours of the day, written in all-caps, many of which were difficult to understand. The reviewing official issued a final order in VR’s favor. The appeal of that final order ended up before Judge Simon. Judge Simon affirmed, finding that the “record demonstrates that [Ms. Snell’s] behaviors have been a barrier to maintaining working relationships with VR personnel and provides ample support for the Reviewing Official’s decision that it was reasonable to request that [Ms. Snell] undergo a neurological assessment.” Jd. at *6. Shortly after Judge Simon’s ruling, Ms. Snell and VR ended up back in this district, this before me. See Snell v. Vocational Rehab. State Unit Pers. (Snell IN, No. 3:20-cv-00242- MO, 2020 WL 4506779 (D. Or. Aug. 5, 2020). Ms. Snell had filed a new application for VR services. VR required certain medical information from Ms. Snell. But Ms. Snell refused to sign release forms, and VR was unable to determine her eligibility. Ms. Snell requested a hearing. The hearing officer partially ruled in Ms. Snell’s favor, finding that she was eligible for services, but also ruled that Ms. Snell would have to sign the release forms and otherwise cooperate before VR could take the next steps. Although the officer found Ms. Snell eligible, she filed suit for injunctive relief, among other things, ostensibly seeking an order that she was indeed eligible for

3 — OPINION AND ORDER

services, I denied her motion as moot because the VR had already found in her favor on that issue. I. This Lawsuit On October 14, 2020, Ms. Snell initiated this lawsuit, her third. Compl. [ECF 1]. A couple months later, she filed an amended complaint. Am. Compl. [ECF 19]. Although difficult to decipher, Ms. Snell seems to suggest that VR is unlawfully withholding services. Jd. at 5.' Ms. Snell names as defendant Ms. Geraci in her capacity as a Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor. Id. at 2. In early 2020, VR found Ms. Snell eligible for services. AR 551-52, 572.” The next step was to develop an individualized plan for employment (“IPE”). VR informed Ms. Snell that she needed to undergo a neuropsychological evaluation and a functional capacity evaluation. AR 551. VR gave Ms. Snell a deadline to select a vendor for both evaluations. AR 551-52. VR also set a time to meet with Ms. Snell. AR 552. Ms. Snell did not select a vendor nor sign the necessary releases. Emily Geraci Decl. [ECF 155] § 4. And she skipped the meeting. /d.; AR 574. Ms. Snell informed VR that she would not attend any meetings with Ms. Geraci. Tr. Aug. 10 (Ex. 1003) at 298:13-19. □

Undeterred, Ms. Geraci sent Ms. Snell a follow-up letter, in which she reminded Ms. Snell of the need to choose vendors for the evaluations and asked questions relevant to the IPE. AR 576. Ms, Snell responded with “at least 50 pages of faxed materials,” in which she did not

' Since the original document appears to have been uploaded with the pages out of order, I cite to the ECF page number. ” AR refers to the Administrative Record [ECF 116]. 3 This transcript, which is attached to Maureen McCarthy Decl. [ECF 154], is the certified transcript of the August 10, 2020, administrative hearing before an impartial hearing officer. For simplicity, I borrow Defendant’s citation format. See Def.’s Mot. Summ. J. [ECF 153] at 1 n.2. 4— OPINION AND ORDER

select a vendor nor meaningful respond to the questions. Geraci Decl. [ECF 155] id. Ex. 1004. Ms. Snell suggested she had already undergone an evaluation, denied having a cognitive impairment, and disparaged Ms. Geraci, writing: “It is clear you are not capable of doing your job and cannot communicate related to your job functions . . . .” Jd. Ex. 1004, at 2, 4. Still, Ms. Geraci attempted to move forward, writing Ms. Snell yet another follow-up letter. AR 578-79. Ms. Geraci informed Ms. Snell that she did not “have enough current medical information” to prepare an IPE, since medical conditions can change over time. AR 578. She explained why VR needed a neuropsychological evaluation: First, you have not been successful in getting vocational rehabilitation services from VR in the past, and several of your working relationships with vocational rehabilitation counselors and other vocational rehabilitation professionals have not been effective. Second, we believe that you could benefit from assessment of your cognitive capacities. You previously expressed that you have some difficulties with short-term memory, and despite your wealth of experience working with VR, you still do not appear to understand parts of the vocational rehabilitation process .... AR 578. Ms. Geraci reminded Ms.

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