The family of a model who was left quadriplegic after eating a pretzel has been awarded nearly $30 million in a settlement.
What We Know:
- Chantel Giacalone was a 27-year-old model and an aspiring actress when she was hospitalized for a serious allergic reaction. She was just beginning her career, appearing in roles like the 2009 thriller “The Butterfly Effect 3: Revelations” and the web series “Hollow Walls.”On February 20th, 2013, the model was out with a friend getting frozen yogurt when she ingested a bite-sized peanut butter-infused pretzel that sent her into a full anaphylactic shock.
- As her lawyer Christian Morris argued, Chantel lost oxygen to her brain for a period of minutes after seeking treatment from two of the medics on-site. Both of the medics only had intramuscular epinephrine in their bags and did not carry any IV epinephrine, an adrenaline treatment for severe allergic reactions required on-site by the Southern Nevada Health District.
- On Friday, a Las Vegas jury awarded the model’s family $29.5 million after they deemed the MedicWest ambulance service Chantel received to be negligent. Now, a 35-year-old Chantel must be fed through a tube and is only able to communicate with her eyes.
- After the verdict was read, her father, Jack Giacalone stated, “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. At least my daughter will be taken care of. I’m happy about that.“
MedicWest has denied any wrongdoing and said that Chantel’s brain damage was inevitable because of her heightened sensitivity to peanuts.
