Murphy v. Wexford Health Sources, Inc., No. 19-3310 (7th Cir. 2020)
Annotate this CaseAn Illinois prison dentist extracted one of inmate Murphy’s teeth. Two days later, a Friday, Murphy went to the prison’s healthcare unit, complaining that his cheek had swollen significantly. Rice, a prison nurse, examined Murphy and described the swelling as “softball‐size[d]” and suspected infection. Dr. Shah prescribed penicillin. Murphy received penicillin that morning. The next day, Saturday, Murphy made several trips to the healthcare unit. The nurse was unable by phone to reach Dr. Shah, who, on Monday, examined Murphy for the first time. After additional treatment attempts, Murphy was sent to an emergency room. A CT scan showed signs of an infection and the closing of Murphy’s airway. Aan oral and maxillofacial surgeon diagnosed him with Ludwig’s angina—a disease that involves infections of nearly all the anatomic spaces in the neck and requires urgent surgical treatment. Ultimately, Murphy underwent three surgeries. Murphy sued Shah for deliberate indifference. The Seventh Circuit affirmed summary judgment in favor of the doctor. The record reflects not deliberate indifference but at most a medical disagreement over the course of treatment
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