A UCLA psychiatrist has been named in a wrongful death lawsuit by the widow of a former patient, who allegedly died after the doctor gained nearly $500,000 in funding from her, at the same time he heavily dosed her with enough psychotropic medications to kill her, as reported by The Washington Post.
Former model and philanthropist P.H., 59, died on April 5, 2011. Though not mentioned in her obituary or any subsequent articles, and according to her husband, P.H. allegedly struggled with alcoholism and mental illness.
She also gave $490,000 to Dr. A.B. for research funding.
B.H., P.H.'s widow, has hired attorney Daniel M. Hodes to represent him in the suit against Dr. A.B., P.H.'s Los Angeles psychiatrist, the University of California and the UC Board of Regents. The suit contends that the lethal combination of drugs Dr. A.B. prescribed caused P.H. to have an altered heart rhythm and subsequently caused her death.
Hodes stated that during several hospitalizations – prompted by heart abnormalities linked to her many prescriptions – emergency room doctors had P.H. stop taking her medications.
P.H. also allegedly told one of her ER doctors that she was consuming a bottle of alcohol every day while taking the sedative Ativan.
However, according to Hodes, Dr. A.B. resumed P.H.'s drug regimen once she was discharged.
The suit states that Dr. A.B., knowing that his wealthy client had deep pockets, became involved in her life. Dr. A.B. made house calls and engaged P.H. in lengthy conversations and emails, at the same time he was treating her.
As alleged in the suit, Dr. A.B. was able to persuade P.H. to give him funds to research a device that could cure her ailments.
Medical negligence, fraud, fraudulent concealment and intentional infliction of emotional distress are claimed in the suit.
UCLA spokeswoman Roxanne Moster said, "The UCLA health care system is committed to the highest standards of patient care and safety. This is a regrettable and unfortunate case for everyone involved and we extend our deepest sympathies to members of the (P.H.) family for their loss."
P.H. began seeing Dr. A.B. in 2004. According to court documents, five years earlier P.H. had been diagnosed with either a possible bipolar disorder, early dementia or schizophrenia.
Though none of these disorders or illnesses were confirmed, Dr. A.B. allegedly began prescribing many psychotropic drugs. According to John Harwell, the lawyer that filed B.H.'s complaint with the Medical Board of California, one such medication, Seroquel, is known to alter heart rhythms.
Harwell told the medical board, "Mrs. (P.H.) died from sudden cardiac death, the very kind of consequence warned against by the FDA in its required Black Box Seroquel warnings, the ones Dr. (A.B.) either ignored or of which he was ignorant."
Most wrongful death cases involve a person dying due to the action, or inaction, of another party. Though this case adds another layer – a financial gain – it could be a winnable case without it. Contact a personal injury lawyer to file your lawsuit in a case of wrongful death.