U.S. District Court: CLAIMS PLRA-Prison Litigation Reform Act.

Burton v. City of Philadelphia, 121 F.Supp.2d 810 (E.D.Pa. 2000). A former inmate brought a state court action against a city and city officials under [section 1983 and state law to recover for injuries he allegedly Sustained as a result of the city's failure to timely and adequately treat his abscessed tooth while he was incarcerated. The district court held that the city was immune from common law claims under state law, but that the former inmate stated a [sections] 1983 claim against the city. The former inmate alleged that he had developed a number of severe physical symptoms stemming for a toothache shortly after he was admitted to confinement, and that these symptoms worsened to the point where he developed an abscess in his cheek that eventually burst, leaving a disfiguring facial scar. Although the former inmate conceded that he did receive some medical treatment after the abscess burst, he maintained that such treatment was insufficient and untimely. (Youth Study Center, Philadelphia Department of H uman Services)