Our client, a young girl, was prescribed powerful antipsychotic medication despite there being no history of psychosis, and with real questions about how that medication was managed. Acting for her family, Coleman Legal secured a €70,000 settlement through an HSE CAMHS scheme, with liability admitted, in 2026.

She was referred to a child and adolescent mental health service after a difficult time in her life, with low mood and disturbed sleep. She was first diagnosed with an adjustment-related condition.

Over the course of her treatment, though, she was prescribed a number of antipsychotic medications, despite there being no record of any psychosis. Questions later arose about why the medications were changed as they were, whether she was being properly monitored, whether her records were complete, and whether she had ever been assessed for a possible neurodevelopmental condition. She also had significant side effects from what she had been given.

How the claim was investigated

Steven Whelan and Keith Rolls acted for the family. Independent experts, a consultant child psychiatrist and a clinical psychologist, reviewed her care and identified failings across the assessment, the diagnosis, the prescribing, the monitoring and the record-keeping. That evidence was the backbone of the claim.

The outcome

The matter was resolved in 2026 through the HSE CAMHS scheme, with a settlement of €70,000 and liability admitted.

How Coleman Legal helped

Steven Whelan and Keith Rolls guided the family through the process from the first meeting and instructed the experts whose evidence set out what had gone wrong. Reflecting on the case, the solicitors said the concern for the family was “not simply that medication was prescribed, but that powerful psychiatric medications appear to have been used without a clear diagnosis, documented rationale or adequate monitoring”, and that young people receiving mental health treatment should have careful assessment and treatment tailored to their individual needs.