Document ID: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-ca8-04-01831/USCOURTS-ca8-04-01831-0/pdf.json

Parties Involved:
Allen Payne
Appellant
Debra Payne
Appellant
United States of America
Appellee

Document Text:

1

The Honorable Nanette K. Laughrey, United States District Judge for the

Western District of Missouri.

United States Court of Appeals

FOR THE EIGHTH CIRCUIT

___________

No. 04-1831

___________

Allen Payne; Debra Payne, *

*

Appellants, *

* Appeal from the United States

v. * District Court for the 

* Western District of Missouri.

United States of America, *

* [UNPUBLISHED]

Appellee. *

___________

Submitted: October 7, 2004

Filed: October 13, 2004

___________

Before MELLOY, HANSEN, and SMITH, Circuit Judges.

___________

PER CURIAM.

Allen and Debra Payne appeal the district court’s1

 adverse grant of summary

judgment to the United States in this medical malpractice action brought under the

Federal Tort Claims Act, 28 U.S.C. §§ 2671-80 (FTCA). Upon de novo review, see

Meyers v. Neb. Health and Human Servs., 324 F.3d 655, 658-59 (8th Cir. 2003), we

agree that summary judgment was proper, because the undisputed evidence showed

that Allen was or should have been aware of his injury and its cause no later than

April 1, 1991, the date of a letter he sent to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA),

Appellate Case: 04-1831 Page: 1 Date Filed: 10/13/2004 Entry ID: 1820994 
-2-

seeking increased benefits, see Motley v. United States, 295 F.3d 820, 822 (8th Cir.

2002) (FTCA claim for medical malpractice accrues when plaintiff actually knew, or

in exercise of reasonable diligence should have known, cause and existence of

injury). Even if Allen did not actually know of the probable cause of his injury on

that date, he would have discovered the probable cause in short order if he had

exercised reasonable diligence, and the undisputed evidence showed that he did not.

See United States v. Kubrick, 444 U.S. 111, 123-24 (1979) (plaintiff has

responsibility to seek advice in medical community once aware of harm and cause);

Garza v. United States Bureau of Prisons, 284 F.3d 930, 935 (8th Cir. 2002)

(suspicions of claim give rise to duty to inquire into existence of claim in exercise of

due diligence; determination of whether plaintiff acted reasonably is objective).

Because Allen knew or should have known of his injury and its probable cause more

than two years before January 1999, the Paynes’ January 1999 and March 2000

administrative claims to the VA were untimely, and their action is barred. See 28

U.S.C. § 2401(b) (plaintiffs must file claim with federal agency within 2 years of

accrual of tort claim). We agree with the district court that the Paynes did not show

any basis for equitable tolling.

Accordingly, we affirm the judgment of the district court.

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Appellate Case: 04-1831 Page: 2 Date Filed: 10/13/2004 Entry ID: 1820994