Opinion ID: 4387846
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Deliberate Indifference Against Sloan

Text: Similarly, Blaine has not demonstrated that Sloan was subjectively aware of Cross’s serious medical needs and was deliberately indifferent to his welfare. From her telephone conversation with Kohl, Sloan knew that Cross was being transferred to the observation floor. Sloan observed Cross acting normally with the other inmates when he arrived at Observation Cell 2. She also observed Cross eating, and she heard him snoring. She was not due to check on him for another four hours, per Kohl’s assessment. From these undisputed facts, it is not apparent that Sloan even had the facts from which to draw an inference regarding Cross’s serious medical condition of drug overdose. Blaine argues that because Cross was placed in an observation cell, it was apparent that Cross required a higher level of medical care. Thus, Blaine maintains that Sloan should have questioned Kohl further or asked to see Cross’s medical records. However, Sloan herself observed Cross, and there was no indication from Sloan’s observations of Cross that he had a serious medical condition which would necessitate inquiry further than the intake assessment recommending that Cross be observed every eight hours. See Winkler, 893 F.3d at 894 (“[The defendant] argues that Nurse Johnson should have gathered more information about [the inmate’s] condition . . . . Although Nurse Johnson’s actions might have fallen below a reasonable standard of care, she did not disregard [the inmate’s] complaints.” “Nothing in these facts suggests that Nurse Johnson perceived that [the inmate] was suffering from anything other than opiate withdrawal.”). Blaine also argues that Sloan should have checked on Cross when she heard him snoring because snoring is one indicator that a person is suffering from respiratory distress and/or unconsciousness, or both. Consequently, Blaine contends that Sloan’s failure to identify or investigate the actual cause of Cross’s snoring demonstrates Sloan’s deliberate indifference 20 Case No. 18-5224, Blaine v. Louisville Metro. Gov’t towards Cross. However, “[Cross’s] weakness at that time would not necessarily have indicated a serious medical condition.” Rouster, 749 F.3d at 450. As Sloan explained in her deposition, snoring alone, without other noticeable symptoms, can indicate sleep apnea, and it is not otherwise indicative of respiratory distress from drug overdose. No other indicators were present that would have led Sloan to perceive facts indicating that Cross was suffering from a drug overdose. At the most, Blaine’s argument that Sloan should have acted when she heard Cross snoring amounts to an allegation of “inadvertent failure to provide adequate medical care,” which is insufficient to rise to deliberate indifference. Estelle, 429 U.S. at 105. Blaine must show “that the alleged wrongdoing was objectively harmful enough to establish a constitutional violation and that the official acted with a culpable enough state of mind, rising above gross negligence.” Rhinehart, 894 F.3d at 737 (citing Farmer, 511 U.S. at 834–35). Blaine points to two deficiencies on Sloan’s part: her failures (1) to ask for the requisite medical paperwork, or otherwise question Kohl for more information than what Kohl relayed to her on the phone, and (2) to interpret Cross’s snoring as a serious medical condition. Neither of these alleged mistakes rises to the level of “obduracy and wantonness,” particularly when Sloan herself saw no indications that Cross was suffering from a serious medical condition. Wilson, 501 U.S. at 299. “Because the nursing staff did not know that [Cross] suffered from a serious medical ailment, and they instead interpreted his symptoms as indicating a different condition, for which they provided appropriate treatment, they were not deliberately indifferent to his medical needs.” Rouster, 749 F.3d at 453. Moreover, “[n]o record evidence indicates that any member of the nursing staff ever suspected that [Cross] was suffering from a more serious condition than alcohol withdrawal.” Id. 21 Case No. 18-5224, Blaine v. Louisville Metro. Gov’t Accordingly, we affirm the district court’s holding that Blaine has not presented sufficient evidence to demonstrate that Sloan was deliberately indifferent in her care of Cross.