A MAN who died after eating a slice of pizza told paramedics he was going to die before falling unconscious, an inquest heard.
James Atkinson, 23, had ordered the chicken tikka masala pizza, chips and Indian dishes from a restaurant via Deliveroo.
James Atkinson died after eating the takeaway pizzaNNP
The computer scientist, who suffered from a peanut allergy, had searched online for likely ingredients in certain foods.
After eating a slice of pizza and some chips from Dadyal restaurant in Newcastle, James became rapidly unwell.
An inquest was told he rang for an ambulance while his flatmate unsuccessfully searched for his EpiPen.
When paramedics arrived, James told them he was going to die while “gasping for air”.
The hearing was told he then fell “profoundly unconscious” and was rushed to to the Royal Victoria Infirmary at around 8.40pm on July 10, 2020.
Once there, James was found to have a Glasgow coma score of three, which means he had a severe brain injury.
Tragically he couldn’t be saved and was declared dead just 41 minutes later.
The court heard he had no alcohol or other drugs in his system at the time and so his decision-making ability was not impaired.
James was also said to be “usually very good” at monitoring his allergies after being given a diagnosis ten years earlier.
An expert examined the contents of his stomach after his death and found there were possibly nuts inside, the inquest heard.
The uneaten takeaway also contained the presence of peanuts, as did analysis of a “nut mix” at the restaurant.
A cause of death was given as anaphylaxis following peanut ingestion.
Coroner Karen Dilks asked pathologist Dr Jennifer Bolton if the outcome would have been different had an EpiPen been found.
She said: “Even with the appropriate use of an EpiPen, there’s no guarantee that an individual will survive, but it certainly increases your chances.”
When asked about James saying he was going to die, Dr Bolton continued: “He experienced his difficulty in breathing and he was becoming aware it was getting worse, (and) individuals do sometimes say ‘I am going to die’.
“Medically, that is taken very seriously. Everybody is still doing everything they can to stop that being the case, and, in fact, to prove the individual wrong.”
James’ parents Jill and Scott paid tribute to their “loving, kind and caring” son at the start of the hearing.
They said he was always “first on the dance floor and last to leave” and lived life to the “fullest”.
The parents added: “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.”
The inquest, set to last two weeks, continues.
James had checked online for likely ingredients in the foodNNP
He told paramedics he was going to dieNNP
James’ parents paid tribute to their son at the start of the hearingNNP
The food had been delivered from Dadyal restaurantNNP Published: [#item_custom_pubDate]
