From the article:

> A former charge nurse at Pittsburgh’s Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic has filed a lawsuit alleging that colleagues mistook symptoms of his disabilities for substance abuse and injected him with an antipsychotic medication before trying to have him involuntarily committed.

> Aaron Diamond, now of Lehigh County, had worked as a charge nurse in the Oakland hospital’s eating disorder unit before being forced to resign in September 2021, according to the lawsuit.

> The complaint names the hospital, UPMC and Diamond’s supervisors as defendants. It includes claims for invasion of privacy, false imprisonment, assault and battery and a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

> “We are appalled and shocked at the treatment of our client at the hands of those who profess to be mental health professionals,” said attorney Joel Sansone, who represents Diamond. “This incident has badly scarred our client, and we are seeking justice because of that.”

> A UPMC spokeswoman said Tuesday that the lawsuit is still under review and she could not discuss any details of the pending litigation.

> The lawsuit said Diamond has been diagnosed with ADHD, dyslexia and a non-specific cognitive learning disability that causes him to have slow and frequently slurred speech — giving the appearance that he is under the influence.

> Diamond said in the complaint that he disclosed his disabilities when he was hired both to his supervisors and the hospital’s human resources department.

> The lawsuit said Diamond’s disabilities were accommodated prior to an incident on March 6, 2021.

> Diamond said in the lawsuit that he was the scheduled charge nurse in the eating disorder unit that day. When he arrived to work, the lawsuit said, Diamond “immediately became aware of a patient who was not receiving proper medical care and attention.”

> The lawsuit said other patients in the area had become emotionally distraught and volatile over the treatment, and Diamond took immediate steps to properly care for the patient.

> “After accomplishing the aforementioned task, the plaintiff was angry and frustrated by the situation, but remained professional and proper in all of his actions thereafter,” the lawsuit said.

> Diamond immediately reported what happened to his supervisor, the complaint said.

> “While reporting the incident, plaintiff’s speech and communication were affected by the aforementioned disabilities from which he suffered,” the lawsuit said.

> A short time later, Diamond was summoned to a meeting where he thought the incident with the patient would be discussed.

> Instead, the lawsuit said, his supervisor and others began questioning his mental condition and implied that he was unstable and impaired.

> Diamond’s supervisor asked him to submit a blood sample, which he refused, the complaint said. Diamond also asked that a representative from his union be made available to him, but his supervisors refused the request, the lawsuit said.

> Diamond said he then asked his supervisor if he could take a 10-minute break but was denied.

> When he attempted to leave the unit, the lawsuit said other employees entered the elevator with him. Instead of allowing the elevator to travel to the ground floor, they stopped on the fifth floor, which is where those who are believed to be a security risk are held, the complaint said.

> When Diamond tried to take the steps to the ground floor, he was stopped and his security badge and keys were forcibly taken from him, the lawsuit said.

> A staff member then asked Diamond to take a dose of an anti-psychotic medication used for sedation, but he refused, the complaint said. His supervisor then told him if he didn’t take the medication voluntarily, he would be forcibly restrained, according to the lawsuit.

> When he refused again, Diamond was restrained and given an injection of Zyprexa into his buttocks, the complaint said. He then said in the complaint that he was placed on a hospital gurney in four-point restraints.

> After the injection, the lawsuit said, Diamond lost consciousness until the next day.

> The complaint said staff at the hospital then attempted to have Diamond involuntarily committed for evaluation.

> The complaint said that process included having his blood drawn, urine taken and several tests such as CT scans administered, along with being given antipsychotic medication, sedatives and antinausea drugs.

> Ultimately, the complaint said, the attending physician said Diamond did not qualify to be involuntarily committed.

> The complaint said he was given a false diagnosis of drug-induced speech disorder and substance-induced psychosis, the lawsuit said. Diamond was then released to his wife.

> Although a manager asked Diamond to return to work on March 10, a union representative urged him to seek short-term disability benefits, which he did.

> On Sept. 30, 2021, he said he was coerced by his union and supervisors at the hospital into resigning his position.