An actress' loved ones were awarded $29.5 million after a pretzel left her with brain damage.
Back in 2013, Chantel Giacalone went into anaphylactic shock after eating a pretzel infused with peanut butter while in Las Vegas for a convention, The Las Vegas Review-Journal reported.
According to the outlet, the model and actor, who was only 27 at the time of the terrifying incident in 2013, was left unable to breathe.
The lawsuit states that the medical attention Giacalone received after going into anaphylactic shock failed her.
Christian Morris, the lawyer representing the family, contended that the aspiring star lost oxygen to her brain after seeking treatment from MedicWest Ambulance, which was running the medic station that day.
The medics did not administrate IV epinephrine – an adrenaline treatment for people with severe allergic reactions. Instead, they gave her intramuscular epinephrine.
MedicWest denied any wrongdoing in the lawsuit and said the outcome was inevitable because of Giacalone’s sensitivity to peanuts. They also argued that she never lost consciousness in the care of her doctors.
“Every minute of Chantel’s life has been inextricably altered,” Morris said, per the outlet. “Every single minute since she walked into that medic room to a company that chose profits over patient care.”
The trial concluded with the actress' family being awarded $29.5 million despite MedicWest denying their paramedics did nothing wrong.
During her professional career, Giacalone appeared in productions such as The Butterfly Effect 3: Revelations in 2009, Skyler in 2012, and Hollow Walls in 2015.
Today, the 38-year-old is quadriplegic and needs round-the-clock care provided to her by her parents, Jack and Deborah Giacalone. She can only communicate with her eyes and requires feeding through a tube.
“At least my daughter will be taken care of. I’m happy about that,” Giacalone’s father said. “All the anguish that we’ve been through for the last eight years, I’m not happy about. I just hope MedicWest changes their ways.”
"The truth came out. Because what happened in that room was nothing. They let my daughter linger," he added, per the newspaper.
The couple intends to donate a portion of the $29.5 million to organizations helping people with brain injuries. They also plan to buy a new house with more space to help them care for their daughter.
"I don't want her to go anywhere else. I love her, and she loves me," Deborah said. "It's very hard to take care of her, but I would not have it any other way."
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