{"id":2617324,"date":"2026-06-22T13:45:01","date_gmt":"2026-06-22T17:45:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/supreme-court-to-review-if-inmate-can-sue-for-lack-of-medical-help-after-injuries\/"},"modified":"2026-06-22T13:46:34","modified_gmt":"2026-06-22T17:46:34","slug":"supreme-court-to-review-if-inmate-can-sue-for-lack-of-medical-help-after-injuries","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/supreme-court-to-review-if-inmate-can-sue-for-lack-of-medical-help-after-injuries\/","title":{"rendered":"Supreme Court to review if inmate can sue for lack of medical help after injuries"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">30<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fsupreme-court-to-review-if-inmate-can-sue-for-lack-of-medical-help-after-injuries%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2617324&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>The Supreme Court is set to consider whether an inmate can sue prison officials for not providing adequate medical treatment after a prison riot, a case that coudl significantly influence prisoners\u2019 protections under the Eighth Amendment against cruel and unusual punishment. The case, Nielsen v. Watanabe, involves Kekai Watanabe, who was injured during a riot and later diagnosed with a fractured coccyx but was denied hospital care, leading him to sue prison officials. Although his lawsuit was dismissed at first,the Ninth Circuit court reversed that decision,citing a precedent from Carlson v. Green, which recognized prisoners&#8217; rights to seek medical redress under the Eighth Amendment. The Supreme Court&#8217;s upcoming ruling aims to clarify whether Watanabe&#8217;s case is sufficiently similar to past cases to warrant continued access to such claims. The decision is anticipated between October 2026 and April 2027, with a verdict by June 2027. This case&#8217;s outcome could shape the scope of prisoners&#8217; rights to sue for medical neglect. Additionally, the Supreme Court is nearing the end of its current term, expected to issue rulings on several high-profile cases related to political and social issues.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<article class=\"fn-body\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/supreme-court\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"203\">Supreme Court<\/a> will weigh whether an inmate can sue <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/prison\/\" type=\"post_tag\" id=\"786\">prison<\/a> officials for allegedly not giving adequate medical treatment following a prison riot, a possibly key case for determining the scope of prisoners\u2019 Eighth Amendment protections against cruel and unusual punishments.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The high court announced that it will hear the case <em>Nielsen v. Watanabe<\/em> in its next term. It was the only case in Monday\u2019s <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.supremecourt.gov\/orders\/courtorders\/062226zor_g314.pdf\" type=\"link\" id=\"https:\/\/www.supremecourt.gov\/orders\/courtorders\/062226zor_g314.pdf\">order list<\/a> that the justices announced they would add to their docket for their upcoming term.<\/p>\n<section class=\"explore-more-section\" id=\"wex-recommended-widget\">\n<div class=\"magazine-container single\">\n<h1 class=\"magazine-title mt-2\">Recommended Stories<\/h1>\n<p>             <i class=\"fa-solid fa-play icon\"><\/i>         <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-grid\">\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/supreme-court\/4568152\/supreme-court-expands-guns-marijuana-hemani\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Supreme Court expands gun rights for marijuana users<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/supreme-court\/4609417\/supreme-court-texas-app-store-age-verification\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Supreme Court urged to block Texas app store age verification law<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<div class=\"explore-card\">                         <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/supreme-court\/4608991\/supreme-court-declines-hear-98-year-old-judge-fight-suspension\/?itm_source=parsely-api\">                             <\/p>\n<div class=\"explore-thumb-wrap\">                                                                                                                                  <\/div>\n<h3>Supreme Court declines to hear 98-year-old judge\u2019s fight against suspension<\/h3>\n<p>                         <\/a>                     <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The case centers on an inmate, Kekai Watanabe, who was involved in a riot at a federal prison in July 2021. After the riot was broken up, prison officials documented his visible injuries, but later that day, Watanabe reported headaches and feelings of pain to prison officials. He was given \u201cover-the-counter pain medication\u201d but was denied by officials when he requested to go to the hospital. Watanabe was later diagnosed with a fractured coccyx, and he filed a lawsuit against prison officials in federal court.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-1\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap\" style=\"min-height:5px;\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" style=\"display:none;\">Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-15\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-1\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Watanabe\u2019s lawsuit was dismissed by a federal district court, but the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit reversed, finding that he had a valid claim, the same as in the Supreme Court\u2019s 1980 case <em>Carlson v. Green<\/em>. In the <em>Carlson<\/em> ruling, the Supreme Court recognized a prisoner\u2019s Eighth Amendment claim against prison officials for not attending to a prisoner\u2019s medical needs after an inmate suffered an asthma attack, instead exacerbating it and leading to his death hours later.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Supreme Court in recent decades has declined to expand the ability to file such claims outside of those specific circumstances and is being asked, in Watanabe\u2019s lawsuit, whether his case is \u201cmeaningfully different\u201d from the claims in the <em>Carlson<\/em> case. The high court\u2019s decision is expected to have ramifications regarding the extent to which prisoners can sue prison officials for a lack of medical treatment.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The <em>Watanabe<\/em> case is expected to be heard sometime between October 2026 and April 2027, with a decision due by the end of June 2027 at the latest.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-2\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap\" style=\"min-height:5px;\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" style=\"display:none;\">Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-16\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-2\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/supreme-court\/4568152\/supreme-court-expands-guns-marijuana-hemani\/\" type=\"post\" id=\"4568152\">SUPREME COURT EXPANDS GUN RIGHTS FOR MARIJUANA USERS<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Supreme Court is slated to wrap up its current term over the next week, when it issues the remaining 17 opinions in cases it heard over the past several months. Some of the most <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/high-court-sides-with-ex-twitter-employee-who-gave-saudi-arabia-secrets\/\" title=\"High ... sides with ex-Twitter employee who gave Saudi Arabia secrets\">closely watched cases awaiting<\/a> a <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >ruling include legal challenges<\/a> to Trump\u2019s firing ability, a pair of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/supreme-court-to-decide-if-title-ix-protections-include-employees\/\" title=\"... to decide if Title IX protections include employees\">state laws barring biological men<\/a> from women\u2019s sports, and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/supreme-court-to-hear-challenge-to-indefinite-detention-of-criminal-immigrants\/\" title=\"... to hear challenge to indefinite detention of criminal immigrants\">laws allowing late-arriving mail ballots<\/a> to be counted.<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The high court has stated it will release opinions on Tuesday and Thursday, but could still add additional opinion days this week or next week.<\/p>\n<div class=\"wex-inarticle-ad wex-inarticle-ad-art-dsk-inart-3\">\n<div class=\"wex-ad-wrap\" style=\"min-height:5px;\"><span class=\"wex-ad-label\" style=\"display:none;\">Advertisement<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"div-gpt-ad-3182201-17\" data-wex-ad=\"art-dsk-inart-3\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Supreme Court to decide if inmate can sue over medical care after riot<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2638,"featured_media":2617325,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AP26135623460766.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[33651],"tags":[80604,32285,52001,32275],"class_list":["post-2617324","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-western-journal","tag-inmate-rights","tag-legal-case","tag-medical-negligence","tag-supreme-court"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/AP26135623460766.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2617324","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2638"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2617324"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2617324\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2617328,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2617324\/revisions\/2617328"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2617325"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2617324"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2617324"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2617324"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}