Editing Winters v OpenAI LLC

'''Winters v. OpenAI LLC''' is a California product-liability and consumer-protection case filed on July 22, 2026, in San Francisco Superior Court by Florida pastor Scott Winters against OpenAI and its chief executive, Sam Altman. Winters alleges that ChatGPT-4o discouraged him from seeking timely medical treatment for symptoms later diagnosed as pulmonary emboli.<ref name="cn">[https://www.courthousenews.com/man-sues-openai-over-dangerous-medical-advice-from-chatgpt/ Courthouse News Service, "Man sues OpenAI over ‘dangerous’ medical advice from ChatGPT" (July 22, 2026)]</ref><ref name="eng">[https://www.engadget.com/2221044/openai-sued-over-chatgpt-health-advice-that-almost-killed-a-pastor/ Engadget, "OpenAI sued over ChatGPT health advice that almost killed a pastor" (July 22, 2026)]</ref>

== Case Information ==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Field !! Details
|-
| Case Name || Scott Winters v. OpenAI, L.L.C. and Sam Altman<ref name="cn" />
|-
| Court || Superior Court of California, County of San Francisco<ref name="cn" />
|-
| Filed || July 22, 2026<ref name="cn" />
|-
| Plaintiff || Scott Winters<ref name="cn" />
|-
| Defendants || OpenAI, L.L.C. and Sam Altman<ref name="cn" />
|-
| Claims || Strict liability; negligence; violation of California's unfair competition law; invasion of privacy; and negligent undertaking against Altman<ref name="cn" />
|-
| Status || Pending<ref name="cn" />
|}

== Background ==
Winters alleges that he consulted ChatGPT-4o about recurrent dizziness and other symptoms over approximately six weeks and that the chatbot characterized the symptoms as non-dangerous rather than directing him to urgent medical care.<ref name="cn" /><ref name="eng" /> He alleges that the chatbot drew on his religious identity and discounted concerns raised by family and church members, contributing to delayed treatment for a pulmonary embolism.<ref name="cn" /><ref name="eng" />

== Claims and Requested Relief ==
The complaint asserts strict-liability, negligence, unfair-competition, invasion-of-privacy, and negligent-undertaking claims.<ref name="cn" /> Winters seeks damages and injunctive relief, including stronger medical-safety guardrails and a pause in ChatGPT Health until independent reviewers determine it is safe.<ref name="cn" /><ref name="eng" />

== Procedural History ==
Winters filed the complaint in San Francisco Superior Court on July 22, 2026.<ref name="cn" /> OpenAI had not responded to Courthouse News Service's request for comment at the time of publication.<ref name="cn" />

== Significance ==
The case asks a state court to apply existing product-liability, negligence, privacy, and consumer-protection doctrines to allegedly harmful medical guidance generated by a consumer chatbot.<ref name="cn" /><ref name="eng" />

== See Also ==
* [[News-July-22-2026|July 22, 2026 coverage]]
* [[State of Florida v OpenAI Inc]]
* [[Carrier v OpenAI Inc]]

== References ==
<references />

[[Category:Product Liability]]
[[Category:Healthcare AI]]
[[Category:Consumer Protection]]
[[Category:Cases Against OpenAI]]
[[Category:California]]