Brisbane, Australia – 18th March, 2018: A young stroke victim is suing one of Brisbane's largest hospitals after being sent home by doctors, who allegedly told her she'd probably had her drink spiked.
Amalia Young said she now suffers permanent brain damage, which could have been prevented with one simple test. Ms Young was just 24 when her life changed.
"No feeling in my left hand side, I couldn't see at all out of my left eye," Ms Young recalled. Unbeknown to her at the time - she was suffering a stroke.
Her boyfriend, Vincent Roughley, rushed her from a friend's party to the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital.
"I carried her in on my shoulders, it was pretty intense," Mr Roughley told 7 News.
But after a CT scan Ms Young said the hospital sent her home.
"They said to me, 'well possibly drink spiking'," she claims.
Shine Lawyers claim the official discharge sheet said Ms Young suffered "Somatoform Disorder...which essentially means they could not find a physical explanation for her physical symptoms and her symptoms were more likely explained as being from a psychological cause."
Then at Greenslopes Hospital Ms Young alleges that she was told: "We believe you're faking and putting on your symptoms... so you can go home".
It was her local GP who, days later, finally picked up she'd suffered an Ischaemic stroke that eventually haemorrhaged, leaving her with permanently impaired cognitive ability, tingling on her left side, and partial blindness.
Ms Young's claim alleges that all of this could have been prevented if the hospital had conducted further tests, including an MRI scan.
"She was working as a 2IC going into management, now she can't remember anything," Mr Roughley said.
Ms Young is now suing the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital for medical negligence. She is not taking legal action against Greenslopes Private Hospital.
Clare Eves from Shine Lawyers said: "The allegation is that insufficient investigations were undertaken."
In a statement, the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital said due to patient privacy it can't address the allegations publicly - but insists no patient requiring treatment is ever turned away.
Source: https://au.news.yahoo.com/qld/a/39548535/young-stroke-victim-set-to-sue-one-of-brisbanes-largest-hospital/