CAMDEN, NJ – A federal inmate’s bid to sue the U.S. government for $3.2 million over claims of negligent medical care during his time at FCI Fort Dix has been thrown out, following a court ruling this week that found no evidence of wrongdoing by prison staff or federal medical contractors.
Lawrence E. Maher, who filed suit under the Federal Tort Claims Act, alleged that prison officials showed deliberate indifference to his medical needs after a pulmonary nodule was discovered in 2016. He argued the delay in treatment put his health at further risk, particularly given his history of prostate cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). But in an opinion filed Tuesday, Chief District Judge Renée Marie Bumb dismissed all claims against the federal government, ending the years-long legal battle.
Maher originally filed an administrative claim in 2018 seeking $10,000 in damages. The Bureau of Prisons rejected it, citing ongoing monitoring and consultations with a pulmonologist who determined surgery wasn’t necessary. Medical records showed Maher had received imaging, clinic visits, and a biopsy in 2018, and his treatment was consistent with conservative management protocols.
The court noted that Maher’s care was documented and aligned with professional medical standards, undermining his argument that negligence occurred. The BOP also found no evidence Maher suffered a “compensable loss” — a critical requirement under the FTCA.
Maher later added claims under the Eighth Amendment and the New Jersey Constitution, arguing prison conditions and care constituted cruel and unusual punishment. He also filed a separate complaint requesting dietary supplements, which was denied by prison administrators after medical staff found no signs of malnutrition.
Judge Bumb ultimately granted the government’s motion to dismiss, closing the case after determining that Maher’s allegations failed to rise to the level of constitutional or statutory violations. The opinion emphasized that professional disagreements over treatment approaches do not automatically amount to negligence or deliberate indifference under the law.
Maher, who filed the suit without an attorney, now has no remaining legal avenues within the district court unless he appeals to a higher federal court.
