Ball v. Southwest Va Regional Jail-Abingdon, No. 7:2019cv00581 - Document 5 (W.D. Va. 2019)
Court Description: MEMORANDUM OPINION. Signed by Senior Judge Glen E. Conrad on 10/17/2019. (tvt)
Download PDF
<![CDATA[
CLERK'S OFFICE U.S.DIST.COCJF RD AT ROANOKE,VA FILED IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT CO URT FOR THE W ESTERN DISTRICT OF VIRGINIA ROANOK E DIW SION JEREM Y ED W A RD BA LL, 02T i? 2219 JULIA 8Y: L , ElD! . C A SE N O .7:19C V 00581 Plaintiff, M EM ORANDUM OPINION V. SOUTHW EST VA REGIONAL JAIL A BIN G D O N M EDICA L DE PA R TM EN T, By: H on.G len E .Conrad Senior United States D istrictJudge D efendant. Jeremy Edward Ball,a Virginia inmate proceeding pro K ,sled this civilrights action . pursuant to 42 U.S.C. j1983, against the medical departrpent of the Southwest Virginia RegionalJail(:jail'')inAbingdon abouthismedicalc' are. Afterreview oftherecord,thecourt concludesthatthiscivilaction isappropriatelydismissedwithoutprejudiceforfailureto statea claim . Ballstatesthatforsome time,he hasbeen tnking prescribed medicationsintended to help him wind down and avoid severe mood swings. During a previousincarceration atthejail, ofscials allowed him to continue taking these m edications. Now,Ball alleges,he is being refused themedications,although thejailisin possession ofhismedicalrecords. Hesuesthe jail'smedicaldepartment,seekingasreliefpropermedicalcareandcompensation. The court is required to dismiss any action or claim sled by a prisoner against a governm ental entity or offcer if the cotu't determines thatthe action or claim is frivolous, Ball v. Southwest Va Regional Jail-Abingdon Doc. 5 malicious,orfailstostatea claim on which reliefcouldbegranted. 28U.S.C.j 1915A(b)(1). Sedion 1983 pennits an aggrieved party to fsle a civiladion againstaperson for adionstaken undercolorofstate 1aw thatviolated hisconstitutionalrights. Cooperv.Sheehan,735 F.3d 153, 158(4thCir.2013). Dockets.Justia.com Neither the jailnor its medicaldepartment,as a group of individuals,qualises as a ççperson''subjecttobeing sued underj1983. See,e.c.,Vinnedaev.Gibbs,550 F.2d926,928 (4th Cir.1977)(sndingthatunderj1983,ççliabilitywillonly liewhereitisaffirmativelyshown thattheofficialchargedactedpersonallyin thedeprivation oftheplaintiftl's)rights'')(emphasis added). Thus,the only defendantBallhas identified cannotbe sued under j1983. Forthat reason,the courtwillsummmily dismissthis casewithoutprejudice underj 1915A(b)(1)for failureto state a claim upon which reliefcould be granted. An appropriate orderwillenterthis day. Such adism issalleavesBallfree to reflehisclaim in a new and separatecivilaction ifhe can correctthe desciencies described in this opiniom l The Clerk isdirected to send copies of thism em orandum opinion and accom panying orderto plaintiff. ENTER: This l-1% day ofo ctober, 2019. SeniorUnited StatesDistrictJudge 1Inanyevent,Ball'ssubmissionsdonotindicatethathehasanyconstitutionalclaim againstjailoftkials. Only deliberate lndifference to an inmate'sseriousmedicalneeds constimtes crueland unusualpunishmentthat violates the Eighth Amendment. Jackson v.Liahtsey,775 F.3d 170, 178 (4th Cir.2014). The deliberate indifferencestandardisnotmetbymeredisagreementconcerningdçslqquestionsofmedicaljudgment,'''Germainv. Shearin,531F.App'x392,395(4thCir.2013)(quotingRussellv.Sheffer,528F.2d318,319 (4th Cir.1975:,or by merenegligence in diagnosisortreatment. SeeWebb v.Hamidullah,281F.App'x 159,166(4thCir.2008) ($EPutsimply,neglijentmedicaldiagnosesortreatment,withoutmore,donotconstimtedeliberateindifference.''). Ballwantsthemedlcationsthatotherdoctorshaveprescribedforhim in thepast andthejail'smedicalstaffhas apparently decided thatdifferenttreatmentis appropriate forhis currentcondition. Such disap eements overthe appropriatecourseoftreatmentarenotsufficientsupportforanEighthAmendmentclaim underj1983. 2
]]>
Some case metadata and case summaries were written with the help of AI, which can produce inaccuracies. You
should read the full case before relying on it for legal research purposes.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google
Privacy Policy and
Terms of Service apply.
