Florida pastor files negligence lawsuit against OpenAI over alleged dangerous medical advice from ChatGPT

A Florida pastor and real-estate professional, Scott Winters, 55, has filed a lawsuit against OpenAI alleging negligence and the unauthorized practice of medicine after he says the company’s ChatGPT provided inaccurate medical advice that nearly led to his death. The complaint, first reported by a major newspaper, claims the chatbot failed to recognize early signs of a pulmonary embolism and offered personalized treatment suggestions without the usual disclaimer to consult a health professional.

Winters says he began using ChatGPT in June 2024 to research chronic conditions he had been diagnosed with, such as small-intestine bacterial overgrowth and chronic prostatitis. Initially, the AI included warnings to seek professional care, but the lawsuit alleges that after a cross-chat memory update in April 2025, the system began giving more tailored, faith-infused responses and omitted safety notices.

“I had serious symptoms of a pulmonary embolism for six weeks that ChatGPT had wrongly attributed to something else,” Winters said in a statement.

According to court documents, the chatbot downplayed dizziness episodes, suggested a “recovery plan” that encouraged the user to remain seated, and dismissed groin pain as a minor issue. Hours after a June 13, 2025 conversation in which the AI minimized his pain, Winters suffered a massive pulmonary embolism, which doctors linked to prolonged immobility.

OpenAI responded that while ChatGPT can help users frame health questions, it is not a substitute for professional medical care. The company emphasized that the tool is intended to assist, not replace, consultations with qualified providers.

The lawsuit seeks monetary damages and requests that the ChatGPT Health feature be removed from the market until its safety can be demonstrated. OpenAI is also facing other legal actions related to alleged harmful advice from its AI systems.