Thompkins V. Belt

George Thompkins brought this suit under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 claiming that his Eighth Amendment rights were violated because he was denied access to medical treatment for a back injury he suffered while he was incarcerated in a Louisiana parish jail. Thompkins named as defendants the parish sheriff, Bill Belt, and Belt's liability insurer, American Druggist Insurance Company. Thompkins was awarded $4,500 as compensatory damages in a bench trial. He appeals, claiming the this award is inadequate respecting his compensatory damages, and that the district court erred by failing to award punitive damages and by denying his motion for new trial. On cross-appeal, defendants raise in substance three issues, claiming (1) that the district court's finding that Tompkins was injured while an inmate of the parish jail is clearly erroneous, (2) that there is no legal basis for finding Sheriff Belt liable, and (3) that the district court erred in refusing to amend the judgment to delete American Druggist Insurance Company as a defendant.