NEW ORLEANS – A former New Orleans Police Department officer who was fired in 2009 for allegedly abandoning his patrol, going to the 4th floor of a parking garage and firing his gun into his squad car more than 20 times is claiming that his doctor was negligent in explaining his prescriptions.
Patrick O'Hern filed suit against Glenda Petroff, NP, FNP, Dr. Vernon Palmisano and Ochsner Clinic Foundation in the Orleans Parish Civil District Court on Dec. 22, 2014.
The plaintiff asserts that he was prescribed several antidepressants by the defendant starting in 2007, ultimately settling Clonazepam to battle anxiety as needed.
In October 2009 he was prescribed Ambien by the defendant. The plaintiff alleges that he was never informed that the two medications should not be taken together. He claims that he took two tablets of Clonazepam due to work-related anxiety on Dec. 12, 2009.
Following this, he claims to have walked to the Hilton Hotel and ingested two more Clonazepam, in addition to consuming an unknown amount of alcohol. He claims that he was not told to abstain from alcohol while taking the drug, and the effects of combining the two caused him to lose control over himself and his actions.
The plaintiff states that the defendants failed to properly monitor and supervise his care, and failed to advise him of the seriousness and risks associated with drug interactions.
The plaintiff seeks an unspecified amount in damages for physical and mental pain and suffering, loss of income, medical care and loss of employment.
The plaintiff is represented by Claude A. Schlesinger, C. Theodore Alpaugh III and Kristie D. Holm of New Orleans-based Guste, Barnett, Schlesinger, Henderson & Alpaugh LLP.
This case has been assigned to Division J Judge Paula A. Brown.
Case no. 2014-12333.