Chantel Giacalone’s family received $29.5 million after a jury found an ambulance service acted negligently when it treated her in 2013, according to The Las Vegas Review-Journal.
- “At least my daughter will be taken care of. I’m happy about that,” said her father, Jack Giacalone, according to The Las Vegas Review-Journal. “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.”
What happened to Chantel Giacalone?
Per the New York Post, Giacalone was at a fashion show at Mandalay Bay South Convention Center in Las Vegas when she went into anaphylactic shock.
- She went into shock after eating yogurt with a bite-sized pretzel — which was “infused with peanut butter,” according to The Las Vegas Review-Journal — on top of the yogurt. Her friend had reportedly bought her the snack.
Giacalone’s lawyer, Christian Morris, said Giacalone lost oxygen to the brain after she sought treatment from the MedicWest Ambulance.
- “The medics only had intramuscular epinephrine in their bags, which they used on Giacalone — but IVs are required when a patient is going into full anaphylaxis,” according to the New York Post.
MedicWest Ambulance reportedly denied any wrongdoing, saying the incident would have happened anyway because Giacalone had sensitivity to peanuts.
What is anaphylactic shock?
People go into anaphylactic shock when “when they’re exposed to something they’re allergic to,” according to Healthline. People may experience the “life-threatening” shock because “their immune system releases chemicals that flood the body,” according to Healthline.
- “This condition is dangerous. If it isn’t treated immediately, it can result in serious complications and even be fatal,” according to Healthline.
Chantel Giacalone ended up becoming quadriplegic after the incident. She can only communicate through her eyes, per The Las Vegas Review-Journal.