Man died from allergic reaction to nuts in pizza he ordered from Deliveroo, inquest rules

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A pc programmer died from a extreme allergic reaction after consuming lower than a slice of a takeaway pizza that he didn’t know contained nuts, a coroner has dominated.

James Atkinson, 23, and two flatmates ordered three hen tikka masala pizzas, chips and diverse Indian dishes on the Deliveroo app from the Dadyal restaurant in Howard Street, Newcastle.

Mr Atkinson, a widespread Newcastle University graduate who was initially from Leeds, swiftly turned ailing at his house in Jesmond in July 2020 after consuming lower than a slice of his pizza. He died round an hour later in hospital.

The reason behind loss of life was anaphylaxis brought on by consuming peanuts in the curry, the inquest at Newcastle Civic Centre dominated on Monday.

Coroner Karen Dilks returned a story conclusion on the finish of the inquest, outlining how Mr Atkinson ordered the meals on an app, that he didn’t contact the restaurant instantly to inform them of his allergy symptoms and that he didn’t have an EpiPen obtainable as soon as he began to really feel ailing.

She mentioned the restaurant didn’t say on its menus {that a} combined nut powder containing as a lot as 99 per cent peanut was used in making its hen tikka masala.

To stop future deaths, the coroner will write to the Department of Health to urge GPs to often evaluation sufferers who’ve allergy symptoms and educate them in regards to the significance of carrying EpiPens.

She will even write to the related authorities in assist of Owen’s Law, which is looking for eating places to state in writing the allergens their dishes embody.

But Mrs Dilks won’t make any suggestions to the three main meals ordering apps, which incorporates Deliveroo, about how they may mitigate the dangers for any prospects who might have an allergy.

She completed the listening to by providing her honest condolences to Mr Atkinson’s household who attended the inquest, which began final Monday.

Following the coroner’s conclusion, Mr Atkinson’s mother and father, Stuart and Jill Atkinson, wrote on their CrowdJustice web page: “On 10 July 2020, our lives changed forever when our beautiful son was cruelly taken from this world.

“James had so much to live for, he was only 23 and had recently graduated from Newcastle University in computer science and had started a promising career as a computer programmer. He was a fantastic boy and lit up any room. We miss him very much every day.”

The inquest was beforehand informed that the Dadyal restaurant menus talked about coconut, almond and cashew in the substances of their hen tikka masala, however not the peanut powder it really contained.

Gulfam Ulhaq, 58, who ran the restaurant for his brother who owned it, mentioned it was up to prospects to inform employees if they’d an allergy. Through an interpreter, he informed the inquest: “They could lose their life. It is the responsibility of the person who has the allergy to mention it.”

Chef Muhammad Iqbal, 69, informed the inquest he had 30 years of expertise and had taken an official meals security course about allergens.

Coroner Karen Dilks requested him what he would do if an order contained a warning that the client had a peanut allergy. Speaking via an interpreter, he mentioned: “I would have refused.”

The listening to was informed that Mr Atkinson used Google to discover out if hen tikka masala contained peanuts, however he didn’t name the restaurant to inform them of his allergy.

The Dadyal has been closed for nearly two years, the coroner was informed.

On the night time of the tragedy, the inquest heard Mr Atkinson rang for an ambulance whereas his flatmates Luke Isley, 26, and Robert Raistrick, 27, regarded for his EpiPen with out success.

Craig Hassall KC, for the household, mentioned that when the paramedics arrived, Mr Atkinson reportedly informed them as he struggled to breathe that he was going to die.

Home Office pathologist Dr Jennifer Bolton mentioned Mr Atkinson was “gasping for air” when the ambulance crew arrived.

By the time he was taken downstairs, he was assessed to have a Glasgow coma rating of three, Dr Bolton mentioned, and was “profoundly unconscious”.

Mr Atkinson was taken to Newcastle’s Royal Victoria Infirmary at 8.40pm on July 10 2020 and, regardless of the efforts of medics to resuscitate him, his loss of life was confirmed at 9.21pm.

Toxicology checks confirmed he had no alcohol or different medicine in his system on the time and so his decision-making capacity was not impaired, the inquest heard.

Dr Bolton mentioned Mr Atkinson was recognized to be “usually very good” at monitoring his allergy symptoms, having been recognized with a peanut allergy 10 years earlier.

Asked if the result would have been completely different had an EpiPen been discovered for Mr Atkinson, Dr Bolton mentioned: “Even with the appropriate use of an EpiPen, there’s no guarantee that an individual will survive, but it certainly increases your chances.”

At the beginning of the listening to, Mr Atkinson’s mother and father, Jill and Stuart, collectively learn out a pen-portrait of their son, describing him as “loving, kind and caring”.

On behalf of the household, his father mentioned: “James had a gift of making others happy, checking in on friends and offering support when needed. To be in his company with his amazing sense of humour and infectious laugh was a privilege. First on the dance floor and last to leave, James lived life to its fullest but also had a sensitive and thoughtful side. His whole family meant the world to him. He was loving, kind and caring.

“James’s sudden death has left an insurmountable hole in our hearts. He had his whole life ahead of him full of future plans and dreams that will not be realised or witnessed by his family. No more memories to make.

“We were blessed to have him for the 23 years that we did. He is irreplaceable. However, to honour him we hold a forever space in our hearts and carry him with us always – our beautiful boy, James.”