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Saturday, May 4, 2024

Psychiatric patient alleges staff member used excessive force

Lawsuits
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PITTSBURGH — A psychiatric patient alleges a staff member violently threw him to the ground at a facility in Pittsburgh. 

Cameron M.E. Stine filed a complaint Aug. 25 in the Court of Common Pleas of Allegheny County against Southwood Psychiatric Hospital Inc., and John Doe alleging negligence. 

Stine alleges in his complaint that he was a patient at the Southwood Psychiatric Hospital in Pittsburgh on Aug. 28, 2020. He claims that the Southwood staff knew he was "sensitive to being touched." 

Stine further claims Doe used a wrestling move to pick him up off the ground and throw him down violently back to the ground, which caused him to suffer skull fractures, a hemorrhage, hematoma and other fractures to his body. He alleges the defendants' negligence for not using reasonably safe procedures to subdue a juvenile and for Doe not getting assistance from staff to subdue him or use a less dangerous alternative that was not violent force. 

Stine also alleges Southwood was negligent for failing to properly train Doe who did not follow state and national guidelines on restraining a psychiatric patient. 

Stine seeks monetary relief of more than $50,000 and all other just relief. He is represented by J. Michael Considine, Jr., of J. Michael Considine, Jr.m PC in Philadelphia. 

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