Kosilek v. Spencer
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Summary

The First Circuit held that a serious medical need under Eighth Amendment can include a significant risk of future harm, but found no deliberate indifference where prison staff offered alternative care and addressed risk reasonably.

2014 | Federal Juristiction

Kosilek v. Spencer

Keywords deliberate indifference; serious medical need; prison staff; risk management; future harm
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Summary

The First Circuit Court of Appeals determined that a serious medical need, as defined by the Eighth Amendment to the United States Constitution, may encompass a substantial potential for future harm. However, the court did not find evidence of deliberate indifference on the part of prison personnel, as the staff provided alternative treatment options and addressed the identified risks in a reasonable manner.

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Summary

The First Circuit Court of Appeals determined that a serious medical need, as addressed by the Eighth Amendment, can encompass a significant risk of future harm. However, the court concluded that prison staff did not act with deliberate indifference in this specific case, as they offered alternative care options and managed the identified risk in a reasonable way.

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Summary

The First Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that a serious medical need, as defined by the Eighth Amendment, can include a significant risk of future harm. However, the court found no intentional neglect by prison staff in this case. This decision was based on the fact that staff had offered alternative care options and had addressed the potential risks in a reasonable manner.

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Summary

A court called the First Circuit made a ruling. It said that a serious health need for someone in prison can include a big chance of getting hurt or sick in the future. But the court found that the prison workers did not ignore the problem on purpose. This was because the prison staff offered different ways to help and dealt with the possible danger in a sensible way.

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Footnotes and Citation

Cite

774 F.3d 63 (2014)

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