Man Who Attempted to Commit Suicide after Discharge from Emergency Room Can Pursue EMTALA and Medical Malpractice Claim against Hospital

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A federal judge in Tennessee allowed a case to continue that addresses a scenario that may be played out when respite services are not available to individuals with a mental illness. The man who brought the lawsuit alleged that he arrived at the emergency room of a local private hospital suffering from "emergency medical conditions" and requesting "medical care to avert danger of harm to himself due to depression, suicidal tendencies, and substance and alcohol abuse." He claimed that a hospital employee performed a cursory medical examination and clinical evaluation of him that was less comprehensive and thorough than the screening normally provided by the hospital for other patients in …