Opinion ID: 584271
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Doerhoff

Text: 20 Appellants maintain that Dr. Doerhoff neither knew nor should have known that his conduct violated Taylor's right to treatment for a serious medical need. Even if Doerhoff were aware that prison officials suspected that Taylor swallowed drug-filled balloons, Taylor produced no evidence to suggest that Doerhoff's surgical and post-operative treatment rose to the level of deliberate indifference. Appellants' Br. at 20-21. Taylor responds that a reasonable jury could conclude that Doerhoff knew or should have known that he continued to experience pain after the surgery due to an abscess. Appellee's Br. at 14-15. 21 Dr. Doerhoff stated in his deposition that unlike most appendicitis patients, Taylor lacked a high white blood count and a rigid abdomen. App. 323. Doerhoff initially concluded, before surgery, that Taylor had a small bowel obstruction. Id. at 109. After making an incision and discovering pus throughout the abdomen, Doerhoff removed the appendix and inserted drains. Id. at 111. He prescribed pain medication and antibiotics. Id. at 325, 333. Doerhoff stated that Taylor received the identical care as his patients in private practice and that there was no delay in surgery considering Taylor's symptoms, white blood count and temperature. Id. at 333. 22 Doerhoff indicated that the possibility that Taylor had swallowed contraband was properly part of the differential diagnosis. Id. at 334. He stated that [w]e have patients swallowing lots of things [in the prison], and contraband is very common. Id. Nowhere does the record support Taylor's allegation, however, that Doerhoff delayed surgery in order to secure a confession. Nor does deposition testimony, even when viewed in the light most favorable to Taylor, create a genuine issue that Doerhoff intentionally provided defective post-operative treatment. The affidavit of Dr. Glenn A. Barr, upon which the Magistrate Judge relied to recommend against the grant of summary judgment, merely creates an inference of negligence upon the part of all the defendants. Id. at 229-32. Accordingly, Taylor has failed to uncover sufficient evidence of deliberate indifference and Doerhoff is entitled to summary judgment upon the basis of qualified immunity. Mitchell, 472 U.S. at 526, 105 S.Ct. at 2815; Hay, 931 F.2d at 460.