Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-ca10-90-03320/USCOURTS-ca10-90-03320-0/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 550
Nature of Suit: Prisoner - Civil Rights (U.S. defendant)
Cause of Action: 

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FILED 

OF APPEAI}sJnited Srares Cou_rro_f Ap~I~ UNITED STATES COURT T,?nth Circuit 

TENTH CIRCUIT 

PHILIP QUARANTA, ) 

) 

Plaintiff-Appellant, ) 

) 

V • ) 

) 

STEVEN J. DAVIES; RAY ROBERTS; ) 

DR. WADE, Chief Medial Officer; ) 

MR. GATHRUM, Clinic Administrator; ) 

PHYLLIS WORDER; GAY SAVINO; DR. ) 

KY-HOANG; DR. GERNER; B. JACKSON; ) 

T. BRITZ; L. AMMONDS; MIKE DOE, ) 

X-Ray Technician; JOHN/JANE DOE, ) 

) 

Defendants-Appellees. ) 

l.'..4Y '7 - 1991 

·- OBERT L. HOECKER 

Clerk 

No. 90-3320 

(D.C. No. 90-CV-3439) 

(D. Kansas) 

ORDER AND JUDGMENT* 

Before ANDERSON, TACHA, and BRORBY, Circuit Judges. 

After examining the briefs and appellate record, this panel 

has determined unanimously that oral argument would not materially 

assist the determination of this appeal. See Fed. R. App. P. 

34(a); 10th Cir. R. 34.1.9. The cause is therefore ordered 

submitted without oral argument. 

Prose plaintiff, Philip Quaranta, an inmate at the Kansas 

State Department of Corrections, appeals a district court order 

dismissing his 42 U.S.C. § 1983 civil rights suit. We affirm. 

* This order and judgment has no precedential value and shall 

not be cited, or used by any court within the Tenth Circuit, 

except for purposes of establishing the doctrines of the law of 

the case, res judicata, or collateral estoppel. 10th Cir. R. 

36.3. 

Appellate Case: 90-3320 Document: 010110106492 Date Filed: 05/07/1991 Page: 1 
• 

"Because the complaint was dismissed for failure to state a 

claim, we must take as true its ... prose allegations." 

Estelle v. Gamble, 429 U.S. 97, 99 (1976), reh'g denied, 429 U.S. 

1066 (1977). Quaranta's § 1983 complaint alleges permanent injury 

to, and continuous pain in, his left index finger due to improper 

medical attention and treatment which he argues constitutes cruel 

and unusual punishment in violation of the Eighth Amendment. He 

claims that after he cut and broke his left index finger, the 

Correctional Facility Medium Security Infirmary staff failed to 

follow unspecified rules, regulations, and procedures; which 

resulted in "unnecessary delay," "deliberate and intentional 

refusal of proper medical diagnosis and treatment," and "severe 

trauma." In support of these claims, Quaranta describes his 

visits to the "Medium" and "Maximum" clinics, where he was treated 

by several nurses and one doctor. The gravamen of his complaint 

is that: 1) the cut should have been stitched during his first 

visit or shortly thereafter; and 2) the break in his finger was 

not properly treated. 

Citing Estelle v. Gamble, 429 U.S. 97 (1976), and Smart v. 

Villar, 547 F.2d 112 (10th Cir. 1976), the district court found 

that Quaranta's allegations do not make out a cause of action 

under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 for cruel and unusual punishment in violation of the Eighth Amendment. On appeal, Quaranta claims that the 

district court misinterpreted his original complaint as one for 

medical malpractice and negligence. Furthermore, he argues that, 

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Appellate Case: 90-3320 Document: 010110106492 Date Filed: 05/07/1991 Page: 2 
... 

contrary to the district court opinion, his allegations are 

sufficient to make out a§ 1983 claim. 1 

To state a cause of action under§ 1983, a prisoner must show 

"deliberate indifference to a. serious illness or injury." 

Estelle v. Gamble, 429 U.S. at 105. A complaint, however, of 

"[m]edical malpractice does not become a constitutional violation 

merely because the victim is a prisoner. [A] prisoner must 

allege acts or omissions sufficiently harmful to evidence deliberate indifference to serious medical needs." Id. at 106. 

Even construing Quaranta's complaint liberally (Haines v. 

Kerner, 404 U.S. 519, 520-21 (1972), reh'q denied, 405 U.S. 948 

(1972)), and accepting his allegations as true, however, we agree 

entirely with the district court. Quaranta was treated for his 

injury. His difference in opinion about what treatment he should 

have received does not give rise to a cause of action. Smart v. 

Villar, 547 F.2d at 114. His claim of continuous pain in his left 

hand and the unnecessary delay in what he considers the appropriate medical treatment for his hand amount only to claims for 

medical malpractice and negligence. Quaranta's complaint does not 

support a cognizable§ 1983 deliberate indifference claim as 

required by Estelle v. Gamble, 429 U.S. at 105-06. 

Consequently, Quaranta "claims [an] infringement of a legal 

interest which clearly does not exist." Neitzke v. Williams, 490 

U.S. 319, 327 (1989). "To the extent that a complaint filed in 

1 Although on appeal, Quaranta characterizes his suit as 

"geared to Department of Corrections Policy and Procedure. 

[and] to the unconstitutionality of Department of Corrections 

agents specifically Correctional Medical Services," his claims are 

identical to those in his original complaint. 

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~ · . . ~ 

forma pauperis which fails to state a claim lacks even an arguable 

basis in law, Rule 12(b)(6) and§ 1915(d) both counsel dismissal." 

Id. at 328 (footnote omitted). 

Therefore, Quaranta's motion for leave to proceed on appeal 

in forma pauperis is DENIED and the case is dismissed. 

The mandate shall issue forthwith. 

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ENTERED FOR THE COURT 

Stephen H. Anderson 

Circuit Judge 

Appellate Case: 90-3320 Document: 010110106492 Date Filed: 05/07/1991 Page: 4