A settlement of €70000 was reached through an HSE CAMHS scheme on behalf of a child who was prescribed antipsychotic medication despite there being no history of psychosis, and where there were concerns about how the medication was managed. Liability was admitted. The case was resolved in 2026.

Our client

Our client was a young girl who was referred to a child and adolescent mental health service with low mood and disturbed sleep following a difficult life event. She was initially diagnosed with an adjustment-related condition.

What happened

Over the course of her treatment, our client was prescribed a number of antipsychotic medications, despite there being no documented history of psychosis. Concerns later arose about the rationale for the medication changes, the adequacy of the physical monitoring, the completeness of the clinical records, and whether she had been properly assessed for a possible neurodevelopmental condition. Our client also experienced significant side effects from the medication she had been prescribed.

How the claim was investigated

Keith Rolls acted for the family. Independent expert opinion was obtained from a consultant child psychiatrist and a clinical psychologist, who identified deficiencies in the assessment, diagnostic formulation, prescribing, monitoring, and documentation of our client’s care. That evidence formed the basis of the claim.

The outcome

The matter was resolved in 2026 through the HSE CAMHS scheme by way of a settlement of €70000 with liability admitted.

How Coleman Legal helped

Steven Whelan and Keith Rolls guided the family through the process 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.