Court Opinion

ID: 2964745
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2015-09-21 21:30:26.457688+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T11:43:00.711047
License: Public Domain

USCA1 Opinion

	

                                [NOT FOR PUBLICATION]

                            United States Court of Appeals
                                For the First Circuit

                                 ____________________

          No. 97-1157

                                   LUCAS LUCARELLI,

                                Plaintiff - Appellant,

                                          v.

                              UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,

                                Defendant - Appellee.

                                 ____________________

                     APPEAL FROM THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

                           FOR THE DISTRICT OF PUERTO RICO

                  [Hon. Juan M. P rez-Gim nez, U.S. District Judge]
                                               ___________________

                                 ____________________

                                        Before

                               Torruella, Chief Judge,
                                          ___________

                           Campbell, Senior Circuit Judge,
                                     ____________________

                              and Stahl, Circuit Judge.
                                         _____________

                                _____________________

               Plinio P rez-Marrero for appellant.
               ____________________
               Fidel   A.  Sevillano-del   R o,  Assistant   United  States
               _______________________________
          Attorney, with whom Guillermo Gil, United States Attorney, was on
                              _____________
          brief for appellee.

                                 ____________________

                                    June 18, 1997
                                 ____________________

                    Per Curiam.  Lucas  Lucarelli ("Lucarelli"), a disabled
                    Per Curiam.
                    __________

          40  year old  veteran of  the United  States Air  Force,  and his

          mother,  Ada  Rivera ("Rivera"),  filed  this  action in  federal

          district  court, claiming medical  malpractice against the United

          States under the  Federal Tort  Claims Act (FTCA),  28 U.S.C.    

          2671-2680.

                    Plaintiffs'  claim  arose  in 1992  when  Lucarelli was

          admitted to the Veteran's Administration Medical Center in Puerto

          Rico,  complaining  of  back  pain  and  difficulty  walking  and

          urinating.   Surgery was  scheduled to treat  him.  Prior  to the

          surgery,  an HIV  test  was conducted.    The test  results  were

          negative, although Lucarelli was  not informed of this fact.   He

          claims to have  overheard two nurses discussing that he "probably

          had" the virus.

                    In  March  or  April  1993, Rivera  received  a  letter

          addressed  to Lucarelli,  which she  opened on  his behalf.   The

          letter, dated December 15, 1992, stated that Lucarelli had tested

          positive for HIV.

                    It  was not  until December  21, 1993,  that Lucarelli,

          after  contacting an  attorney and  undergoing another  HIV test,

          learned that he was, in fact, HIV negative.

                    Following  a bench  trial,  the  court awarded  damages

          totalling  $33,750.    Plaintiffs-appellants appeal,  essentially

          arguing   that   the  district   court  made   erroneous  factual

          determinations regarding the damages suffered.

                                         -2-

                    On appeal, findings of  fact will be set aside  only if

          clearly  erroneous.   Fed.  R. Civ.  P.  52(a); Juno  SRL  v. S/V
                                                          _________     ___

          Endeavour,  58 F.3d 1,  4 (1st Cir.  1995).   Having reviewed the
          _________

          record  and the briefs on  appeal, we conclude  that the district

          court did not  commit clear  error.  Accordingly,  we affirm  the
                                                                affirm
                                                                ______

          decision of the district court.

                                         -3-