Opinion

Marcus Everette Harper v. Texas Department of Criminal Justice

Court
Texas Supreme Court
Filed
Jan 23, 2015
Status
Published
Cited by
0 cases
Authority
More cited than 3.0%

The opinion

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CAUSE N0.07-l4-00397-CV

MARCUS EVERETTE HARPER v § COURT OF APPEALS

Plaintiff

V; § SEVENTH DISTRICT OF

TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF

CRIMINAL JUSTICE §POTTER COUNTY,TEXAS U

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INTERLOCUTORY APPEAL NC~

Comes now Marcus E.Harper, hereafter referred to as Plaintiff

would like to Amend this request for apointment of counsel, and

medical negligence, negligence, or gross negligence, also this cause

No. O7-l4-OO397-CV to his motion that was filed on November 14,2014.

On 12-31-08 Plaintiff filed this suit because he was serverely

burnded and disfigured for life; also the medical doctor, and staff

on Bill Clements Unit failed to follow medical care instruction

that cause his leg to get infected so further medical care was need-

ed to contain the infection. He was rushed back to the medical Burn

Center in lubbuck where skin graft was needed to contain the infec-

tion. Under medical negligence, malpractice, and gross negligence.

On 30th dat of Oct, 2014 Honorable Judge Ana Estevez dismissed

this portion malpractice in error claiming that TX.Civ.Prac.and

Remedies Code 74.351 expert report requirement was not met by me.

I filed a motion to object under article 74.352 Discovery sanc-

tion if the defendants do not come with the discovery within forty

five days I can file sanctions from the judge.(R.l/p.8-9)

The defendants stated that I had to Hire an expert report(R.l

p.9:15-22). '

I

The rule provide that responses and objection to requests for

production of documents are to be served within 30_days of the re~

quest unless Court grants a shorter or longer time. Rule 34,Fed.R.

Civ. P. the defendants however, wiated almost 4 years before respond-

ing, with obtaining or even seeking permission from the court or

agreement from the Plaintiff,for this delay.

II

The allegation of denial of medical care amount to "intentionally

l

interfering with the treatment once prescribed," which the supreme

Court has specifically cited as an example of unconstitional deli-

berate indiference to prisoner'medical needs Estelle v.Gamble 429

U.S.97 105,97 S,ct. 285 (l976)

~Medical need; Some Courts have held that a serious medical need

is one that has been diagnosed by a physician as mandating treatment

or one that is so obvious that even alay person would easily recog-

nize the necessity for a doctors attention. Hill v.Dekalb Regil Youth

Det.Ctr . 40 F.3d ll76,1187 (llth Cir.l994) Courts usually agree that

the medical nedd must be"one that if left unattended, poses a sud-

stantial risk of serious harm." Taylor v. Adams, 22l F.3d.1254,1258

(llth Cir.200). to overcome qualified immunity (l) your rights were

violated: (2) the right that was violated was clearly established;

and (3) the defendant was personally responsible for the violation

of your rights.

Under Texas Case Law,the fact that an action for on intentional

Tort is barred, does not prevent an injured Party from pursuing a

claim for simple negligence arising out of the same fact Hucher v.

City of Beaumont E.D. TeX.ZOOl, 144 F.Supp. 2d.696 at 708. There is

no impediment to a proper characterization of negligence see Huong

96l F.Supp at 1008. where the fact may show that duty improperly or

negligently use tangible personal property during care that resulting

in an injury.

III

‘Plaintiff request appointment of counsel for an indigent liti-

gant," the factual complexity of the case,the ability of the indi-

`gent to investigate facts, existence if conflicting testimony, to

present his claim" Abdullah V.Gunter,949 F.2d 1032, 1035 (8th cir.

l99l). In adition Court have suggested that most important factor

is whether the case appears to have merit, Carmona v. U.S. BUreall

of Prisons 243 F.3d.629, 632 (2d Cir.2001) n

.Plaintiff has infirmed to trial Court that this is also, Medical

care claim; it will need medical expert witness and to cross-examine

medical witness (see motion 12-3l-08). The presence of medical or

other issues requiring expert testimony supports the appointment of

counsel Mantqomerv v} Pinchak 294 F.3d.492,503-O4 (3rd Cir.2002);

Moore v.Madus, 976 F2d 268, 272 (5th CIR.l992), Jackson v.CountV of

Mclean 953 F.2d.lO70,lO73 (7th Cir.l992)

Plaintiff is incarcerated and has no ability to investgate the

' 2

facts. For example, he is unable to identify,locate,and interview

inmates and medical witness who were at the seen of incident. see

Parham v.Johnson 126 F.3d 454,459 (3d Cir.l997) (holding counsel

should have been oppointed because prisoner's lack of legal exper-

iense and the complex discovery rules clearly put him at a dis ad-

vantage in countering the defendant's discovery tactics... This

discovery rule prevented him from hiring an expert report., but

however there is a doctor physician repdg that clearly states med-

ical staff failed to follow wedical instruction that cause my in-

fection. the existence of these credibility issues supports the a-

appointment of counsel Steele v.Shan 87 F.3d 1266, 1271 (llth.Cir.

1996).

Hendricks v.Coughlin, 114 F.3d 390,394 (2d Cir.l997) (holding

complexity of supervisory liability supported appointment of counsel

In adition, the plaintiff has asked for a jury trial,which requires

mush greater legal skill than the plaintiff has or can develop. Solis

v. County of Los Angeles, 514 F.3d.946,958 (9th Cir.2008) (prisoner

with eighth grade education and no legal trianing is "ill~suited"

to conduct a jury trial.

Plain language statute requiring submission of expert report at

outset of (Health Care Provider Liability)Claim contamplates that

the expert's opinions may be Amended or supplemented as discovery

is completed in the lawsuit.Schmidt v.Dobose 259 S.W.3d 214 (App.

9th Dist.2008).

Plaintiff requested counsel to assist him in pre paring and

filing an expert re port in support of his health care liability

action against prison. Unlike in Banknead v.Spence 314 S.W.3d 464

he did not request counsel until the eve of the statutory deadline

meaning any lack of meaningful time laid solely at inmate's feet

befcause of his delay in requesting the appointment of counsel.

IV

Discovery 74.351 NOTE: 74 In a Health Care Liability claim

oral depositions of parties are barred and only two oral deposition

are allowed before the expert report is serve In Re Lumsden 291

S.W.3d 456 (App.14 dist. 2009)

Stay of discovery in heath care liability claims imposed by the

Texas Medical Liability Act (TMLA) Rule allowing depositions before

suits. In Re Allan (App.lZ Dist.2006) 191 S.W.3d 483,at 487,249 S.W

3d 416 Granted.

Stay of discovery under the (TMLA) pending Plaintiff filing of

expert report extended to pretrial depositions of emergency care

physicians, despite Plaintiff's contention that while deviation

from the stanard of ordinary care may be gleaned from medical re-

cords, the wilful and wanton negligence standard for emergency care

under the statute required depositions. InRe Memorial Hermann Hosp.

System (App.14 Dist 2006)209 S.W.3d 835. Pretrial Procedure 62.

Under rule 74.351 (s) (l) written discovery Until a claimant has

served the expert report and curriculum vitae as requied all dis-

covery in a health care liability claim is stayed except for the

acquisition by the claimat of information, including medical or

hospital records or other documents or tangible things, related to

the petien's health care throgh discovery depositions at 840. Sec~

tion 74.351 `oes not stay other, less costly form of covery Chapter

74 requires health care defendants to comply with the discovery

procedures setout in the legislation. See Ann 74.352 Tex.Civ.Prac.

& Rem.Code once a clim is filed. at84l.

CONCLUTION

Plaintiff request that the Defendant's be reinstated under neg-

ligence that they were uncostitional deliberate indiference to

plaintiff medical needs (See dicovery 070).

_ The defendant's failed to comply with discovery 74.352 within

the time frame allowed (see volume l p.l-18).

Also request counsel to serve expert report under 74.351(s)

that two depositions may be taken before expert report is served.

PRAYER

For all the above reasons stated plaintiff request that this cause

be reversed and the defendant's be made to answer.

CERTIFICATE OF SERVICE

I,do hereby certify that a true and correct copy of this document

was served upon the defendant's by placement of it in the William

Clements U.S. mail drop box postage Pre-paid, addressed to the

state of Texas attorney General P.O.box 12548 Austin Texas 78711~

2548 , also to trial Court District clerk Caroline Woodburn Potter

County P.O.Box 9570 Amarillo Tx,79105-9570

All of the above is true and correct to the best of the Plain~

tiff' s knowledge and recollection,sworn under penalty of perjury

this 19 day January 2015. Marcus Harper #692332, Bill Clem s Unit,

9601 spur 591, Amarilio Tx 79107. . , , ' , j

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This is a copy of a public record, reproduced as it was published. It is not legal advice, and it may not be the version a court would rely on. Check the official source before you cite it.

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