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Failure to Properly Treat Anorexia Nervosa

CATEGORIES: Brain Injuries CASE LOCATION: Allegheny Co., PA. CLASSIFICATION: Seven Figure Recoveries

The McIntosh Case

Miss McIntosh was a college-aged woman who suffered from the effects of anorexia. She required medical attention and was admitted to the defendant hospital for treatment of her eating disorder. While in the hospital, Miss McIntosh exhibited chronic metabolic problems and was still not eating properly; however, her discharge from the hospital was planned. The hospital failed to call in any psychiatric treatment, did not properly treat an infection and did not consider that her anorexia had affected her immune system. Additionally, the defendant doctor who was caring for her failed to perform a proper medical work-up. Miss McIntosh was discharged to her home and was told to check into another in-patient facility in several days. However, after her discharge to home, Miss McIntyre fell into a hypoglycemic shock, septic shock and suffered a hypoglycemic encephalopathy coma. She remained in a coma for several days and, as a result, has suffered permanent, irreversible brain damage, rendering her unable to function independently.

The suit was filed in Allegheny County against the defendant hospital for failing to properly work the patient up and for related issues her while in the hospital and against the defendant doctor for not ordering the proper tests and discharging Miss McIntosh before her condition was stable. The defendants defended based on the fact that anorexia is a difficult disease to treat and predict. The case was tried for a week before a jury. Before the jury began deliberating, a seven-figure settlement was reached with the defendants.