WASHINGTON COUNTY, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — A Northwest Arkansas psychiatrist at the center of multiple legal cases has responded to one lawsuit and denied the allegations.
Dr. Brian T. Hyatt of Rogers submitted an answer in Washington County circuit court through an attorney on April 7. Karla Adrian-Caceres filed a complaint against him and other defendants on January 17 in which she accused him of false imprisonment, assault, battery and other mistreatment while in his care in 2022.
When she asked when she could go home, Adrian-Caceres said “more than one employee told her there was a minimum stay and that if she asked to leave, they would take her to court where a judge would give her a longer stay because the judge always sides with Dr. Hyatt and Northwest.”
According to court documents, a Northwest staffer attempted to black out the doctor’s name on the plaintiff’s wristband, but she said that his name was still visible through the ink. She said that she was then forced to share “a cramped living space with another patient against her will.”
In his April 7 answer, Hyatt denied having enough knowledge to respond to some points in the suit and outright denied others. He denied threatening her and said that her medical records in the matter “speak for themselves.”
He also denied refusing to release the plaintiff. He added that “the end of his affiliation with Separate Defendant Northwest Arkansas Hospitals, LLC, is not related to this lawsuit.”
Later in the filing, he denied that he is liable “under any theory of liability” and also denied that the plaintiff is entitled to any damages multiple times. He requested a trial by jury.
The answer also claimed that the complaint should be dismissed “for insufficiency of service” pursuant to Arkansas rules of civil procedure. He added that other certain claims should be dismissed for “failure to state facts upon which relief can be granted.”
The filing also reserved the right to move to disqualify one of the plaintiff’s attorneys, Aaron Cash, because he may be a necessary witness in the case.
“In an abundance of caution, Separate Defendant [Hyatt] reserves the right to affirmatively
plead the defenses of comparative fault, intervening cause, payment, and negligence of third
parties,” the answer added. “No action on his part while participating in the care and treatment of Karla Adrian-Caceres was below any recognized standard of care.”
It also said that the plaintiff’s claims are barred, in whole or in part, because “any damages allegedly suffered were not proximately caused by Separate Defendant or by others over whom Separate Defendant had control.”
It also said that Hyatt “specifically denies any fault,” and that he “affirmatively asserts that any alleged damages to Plaintiff were proximately caused by independent, intervening, and superseding causes for which Separate Defendant is not responsible or has no control.”
It concluded by asking for the complaint to be dismissed with prejudice. Hyatt also asked for costs and attorneys’ fees.
