Man misdiagnosed as delusional for 20 years sues (he was locked in a state facility)

[cali]

A man who spent nearly 20 years locked in a state psychiatric ward in Lincoln is suing doctors for malpractice, saying he was never mentally ill during his time there.

John Maxwell Montin, 52, filed the lawsuit Friday in federal court, naming 21 former or current Lincoln Regional Center doctors, a program manager and two nurses, the Lincoln Journal Star reported (http://bit.ly/1mVKX89 ).

Montin is seeking more than $22 million in damages for incorrectly labeling him mentally ill, unnecessarily holding him and subjecting him to treatments he didn't need. He's also seeking $760,000 in lost wages and $10 million in punitive damages.

Montin was released nearly a year ago after a regional center doctor acknowledged Montin had been misdiagnosed from the beginning. Doctors at the center had based his diagnosis of delusional disorder on police reports of a 1993 incident in which he was accused of walking up to rural house, declaring it had belonged to his ancestors and that he was taking it back.

Read more here: http://www.tri-cityherald.com/2014/07/12/3061223/man-misdiagnosed-as-delusional.html?sp=/99/923/#storylink=cpy

[Hoppy]

1. Poor guy. that gets me thinking....

We have been accusing Teabaggers like Bachman and Santorum of being delusional. Maybe we are wrong.

[WinkyDink]

2. "That gets me thinking" is the delusional part.

[Dustlawyer]

3. I hope they re-evaluated everyone else there!

[cali]

4. what a good point. no kidding. sheesh. talk about incompetence.

[LuvNewcastle]

5. Well, it is crazy to try to take back land because it belonged to your ancestors.

But since the witnesses said he never did that, he must not be crazy, then. Too bad we can't lock up everyone who takes over land because it once belonged to their ancestors. Current owners have to be respected, and you can't just take over a place because of injustices done to your ancestors.

[misterhighwasted]

6. I'd be sooo pissed if it were me. Thieves stole his life

grrrrr

[n2doc]

7. So strange

There are clearly delusional folks out there on the street who are ignored by the system. Yet this guy gets the full 1950's treatment.

[RobinA]

8. Something Tells Me

there's more to this story. Involuntary psychiatric committments are reviewed periodically by a judge. For instance, did he walk up to the house in question with a gun and shoot the inhabitants?

[cali]

11. no, he didn't shoot someone. and although judges review committments

it's often a pretty pro forma procedure. I've worked in the system and attended these hearings.

[rustydog]

9. Wow, Looks like the county or state needs to reevaluate how they involuntarily commit someone

20-years? You cannot get that back, no freaking way.
We had this guy a few years back whose physician decided to "Try" another psych medication and the patient ended up in a Psych facility for weeks. Parents were pissed...his other meds were working.

[KamaAina]

10. One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest?