NEW ORLEANS - Da’Shawn Coats filed a federal lawsuit on Dec. 30 in the Eastern District of Louisiana against St. Tammany Parish Fire Protection District #4 for negligence.
According to the lawsuit, on April 28, 2021, Coats was arrested by the Causeway Police Department under alleged suspicion of driving under the influence. Coats was later released to his girlfriend, and after becoming agitated and expressing suicidal thoughts, he walked away, the suit claims.
Coats was found later in the evening on the side of the road passed out. An ambulance was called to render medical care to Coats, and it was disclosed that Coats had consumed one alcoholic drink and medication, the suit says.
After being admitted to Slidell Memorial Hospital, paramedics did not relay that Coats had previously been released from jail or consumed alcohol and medication, the suit says. Coats then checked himself out of the hospital with staff unaware of him suffering a mental health crisis due to the news of his girlfriend's father passing away, the suit says.
St. Tammany’s fax to the hospital concerning Coats' mental health state and need for observation was received nearly two hours after Coats checked himself out, the suit says. After leaving the hospital, Coats proceeded to walk to Interstate 10 and entered the travel lanes, where he was struck by a vehicle traveling 75 mph.
Coats sustained life-threatening injuries and was transported to University Medical Center, where he underwent more than a dozen surgeries and a month of admittance, the suit says
Coats claims that due to the outdated technology used by St. Tammany’s to send vital information to the hospital about his condition, St. Tammany was negligent in his care and in reporting pertinent information that could have protected him from the injuries sustained on the interstate.
Coats seeks a judgment for damages including medical care, rehabilitation services, pharmacy cost, emotional and mental distress, physical bodily injury, past and future lost earnings and legal interest. Coats is represented by Andrew D. Bizer of New Orleans.
Eastern District Court of Louisiana case number 2:21-cv-02402-JCZ-JVM