Lake v. Wexford Health Sources, Inc.

Federal 7th Circuit Court
Civil Court
Prisoners
Citation
Case Number: 
No. 15-2360
Decision Date: 
February 15, 2017
Federal District: 
C.D. Ill.
Holding: 
Affirmed

Dist. Ct. did not err in granting defendants-prison medical personnel’s motion for summary judgment in plaintiff-prisoner’s section 1983 action, alleging that defendants were deliberately indifferent to plaintiff’s tooth pain by refusing plaintiff’s request to have outside dentist extract his decayed tooth, where said refusal was based on money concerns. Defendant-prison dentist indicated that she was aware of anesthesia techniques that would have enabled her to successfully pull plaintiff’s tooth with minimal discomfort to him, and plaintiff failed to present evidence that defendant-prison dentist knew that her planned method of pulling plaintiff’s tooth either would be unsuccessful or would inflict more pain than alternative plan. Fact that outside dentist had previously pulled another tooth for plaintiff, after plaintiff had complained that local anesthetic administered by different prison dentist was ineffective in dulling his pain, did not require different result.