Wolfe v. Churray

District Court, D. South Carolina·Decided February 23, 2022·No. 4:20-cv-00244·Unknown

Opinion

IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF SOUTH CAROLINA FLORENCE DIVISION

Michael E. Wolfe, ) Case No.: 4:20-cv-0244-JD-TER ) Plaintiff, ) ) vs. ) ) ORDER AND OPINION Nfn. Churray, ) Officer Kayla Shervey, ) Nfn. Mocccabello, ) Nfn. Caldwell, Sgt. ) Nfn. Perks, Lt. ) Nfn Lasley, Captain, ) Nfn Toth, Captain, ) Jimmy Pacheco, licensed clinical ) psychiatrist, ) Kathy Wyant, Human Servs. Coord., ) Nfn Early, Associate Warden, ) Donna Ashley-Harouff, nurse, ) Amy Enloe, field nurse practitioner, ) Nfn Glen, deputy warden, ) Nfn Osborne, registered nurse, ) Thomas Overman, registered nurse, ) Nfn. McRee, ) Nfn Welch, transportation sgt., ) L. Harris, registered nurse, ) Ashley Grimsley, registered nurse, ) Katherine Burgess, registered nurse, ) James Smith, Human Services Coordinator ) Nfn Palmer, Captain/Unit Manager, ) Dominic M. Boccabello, ) Sgt. Charles B. Welchel, ) ) Defendants. ) )

This matter is before the Court with three Reports and Recommendations (“Reports and Recommendations” or “Reports”) of United States Magistrate Thomas E. Rogers, III, made in accordance with 28 U.S.C. § 636(b)(1) and Local Civil Rule 73.02(B)(2)(d) of the District of South Carolina.! (DE 323, 325, and 326.) Plaintiff Michael E. Wolfe (“Plaintiff’ or “Wolfe”), proceeding pro se, brought this lawsuit under 42 U.S.C. § 1983, alleging violations of his constitutional rights by the captioned Defendants arising out of, among other things, inadequate medical care at South Carolina Department of Corrections’ (“SCDC”) Perry Correctional Institution (“PCI”). Pending before the Court are three motions for summary judgment: (1) by Defendants Nfn Osborne and Thomas Overman (280); (2) by Defendants Donna Ashley-Harouff, Dominic M. Boccabello, Katherine Burgess, Nfn Caldwell, Nfn Churray, Nfn Early, Amy Enloe, Nfn Glen, L Harris, Nfn Lasley, Nfn McRee, Jimmy Pacheo, Nfn Palmer, Nfn Perks, Kayla Shervey, James Smith, Nfn Toth, Charles B. Welchel, and Kathy Wyant (283); and (3) by Defendant Ashley Grimsley (286). As the Plaintiff is proceeding pro se, the court issued orders, pursuant to Roseboro v. Garrison, 528 F.2d 309 (4th Cir. 1975), advising Wolfe of the motion for summary judgment procedure and the possible consequences if he failed to respond adequately. (DE 284 and 288.) The motions are now ripe for review. BACKGROUND The Reports and Recommendations set forth the applicable facts and details, and the Court incorporates those facts herein. For the sake of brevity, the Court provides the following summation. In the amended complaint, Plaintiff alleges that he was seen by PCI medical personnel on several occasions for testicular cysts starting in July 2018. As to Defendant Ashley Grimsley (“Grimsley”), Wolfe alleges he only saw Grimsley on one occasion, August 23, 2018, in the

The recommendation has no presumptive weight, and the responsibility for making a final determination remains with the United States District Court. See Mathews v. Weber, 423 U.S. 261, 270- 71 (1976). The court is charged with making a de novo determination of those portions of the Report and Recommendation to which specific objection is made. The court may accept, reject, or modify, in whole or in part, the recommendation made by the magistrate judge or recommit the matter with instructions. 28 U.S.C. § 636(b)(1).

medical unit for a lump on his testicle, blood in his urine, and burning upon urinating for which he requested an ultrasound be ordered. Wolfe alleges that Nurse Grimsley did not treat the issue or initiate steps into treating or resolving the problem with his testicular mass, only that she referred him to be seen by the nurse practitioner. Specifically, Plaintiff asserts in his response that “Nurse Grimsley signed off on a document on August 10, 2018, reguarding (sic) a sick call visit on 8/9/18 with Nurse Harouff in which I complained of pain in my left foot, right knee, blood and burning when I urinate, a palpable lump on my testicle and inquired about treatment of my left foot (left peroneal neuropathy), this is the first time Grimsley became personally aware of these issues.” (DE 301-1, p. 1.) Plaintiff argues that he submitted a sick call request in which he complained about extreme pain in the right testicle causing abdominal and pelvic pain for which the antibodies was not helping. He also stated in the sick call request form that he had a knot in his ankle and no feeling in his left leg. Nurse Grimsley signed that she received the sick call request form on August 23, 2018, the same day she saw him in sick call. In her capacity as a staff nurse,? Grimsley took Plaintiffs vital signs, which were within normal range, and routed the encounter note she made to the nurse practitioner to address Plaintiffs report of testicular pain and mass. (DE 286.) Grimsley informed Plaintiff that the x-ray for his foot and ankle was scheduled, but it would take time because he was held in lock-up which requires additional security personnel to transport an inmate to appointments in lock-up and SCDC policy prevents Grimsley from providing the inmate with his exact appointment date for safety and security reasons. (DE 286.) Plaintiff's SCDC medical records reflect that he was seen by Nurse Practitioner Defendant Amy Enloe (“NP Enloe”) on September 18, 2018, for his right testicular mass and that Grimsley

As a staff nurse working sick call, Grimsley attests that she assesses inmates for specific complaints made during their visit and refers them to a higher level of care, such as an SCDC physician, physician’s assistant, or nurse practitioner, for additional orders when the complaint is outside her scope of practice. (Id.)

was not involved in that visit. (DE 286-4.) It is not within the scope of a registered nurse to order tests or imaging, prescribe medication, order physical therapy or rehabilitation, order pain management treatment, or perform treatment modalities not authorized by SCDC. (Id.) Grimsley had no further contact with Plaintiff regarding any complaints raised in this action. (Id.) As it relates to Defendants Nurse Osborne and Nurse Overman, Plaintiff was physically

examined by Nurse Osborne on July 30, 2018, and Nurse Overman between the end of July 2018, and early August 2018. (DE 110.) Wolfe complained of a palpable lump on his right testicle and he informed them of the blood and burning upon urination. (Id.) Plaintiff alleges since he arrived at PCI he was to have appoints with the neurologist every ninety days for left peroneal neuropathy, which is a permanent nerve injury in his left leg from the foot to the knee. (Id.) Wolfe Defendants Osborne and Overman, as well as other medical personnel, intentionally delayed his return to the neurologist by eight months as part of retaliation for his filing grievances and complaints against SCDC employees. (Id.) Plaintiff contends that comments were made that the paperwork he was filing was causing the delay to see the neurologist. (Id.) Lastly, Plaintiff alleges that neither

Defendant Osborne nor Overman followed the neurologist recommendations, specifically the orders to receive physical therapy or rehabilitation, thereby, showing medical indifference. (Id.). Plaintiff attempted to exercise in his cell but experienced extreme pain and received additional injuries trying.

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