Electroconvulsive Therapy Allegedly Causes Severe Mental Damage

Case Overview

The plaintiff was seeing a psychiatrist for bipolar disorder and depression. Though he had self-medicated with homeopathic remedies like St. John’s Wort, his worsening condition caused him to seek out more substantive medical care. Consequently, he had undergone ECT (electroconvulsive therapy several years prior to the events in question, and indicated they had titrated the voltage at that time. The plaintiff had severe symptoms of depression and suicidal ideation after this initial treatment, and he presented to the mental health clinic, where he was subjected to multiple ECT sessions. Following that treatment, he suffered from amnesia like symptoms, and has developed various cognitive impairments since that time. According to the plaintiff, when he was discharged from the clinic, he wandered aimlessly for several hours before he started to remember who he was. Since then, he has experienced a severe loss of sensations and other cognitive problems. He has had neuropsychological testing done, and his memory is now confirmed to have been severely compromised as well.