Emergency response services such as fire fighters and EMS employees have saved the lives of countless Ohio residents who have needed help. However, these employees can sometimes be negligent, and that could result in a fatal accident. One Ohio man suffered a traumatic brain injury after falling from an ambulance cot. He died several days later.
At around 8 a.m. on March 26, the 81-year-old man alerted the authorities to an emergency medical situation. What exactly prompted the man to call for an ambulance is unclear, but it could have been related to his cardiovascular disease. Three paramedics arrived at the man’s residence to transport him to an area hospital.
However, as the paramedics were transporting the man from his house and into the ambulance, the ambulance cot tipped over. The paramedics then began to provide trauma care, but the man had already suffered a traumatic head injury. He was taken to the hospital, but he died from his injuries three days later.
The medical examiner’s office has determined that the man’s fall was “an accident,” so it does not appear as if the paramedics will be facing any criminal charges. However, if the man’s estate chooses, the estate could pursue a wrongful death suit. In the suit, the estate would likely claim that the Ohio paramedics were negligent in their care for the man, and his subsequent traumatic brain injury and death could have been avoided with proper care. If liability is established by appropriate evidence, claims for specific items of financial damages will be adjudicated.
Source: the-news-leader.com, “Man dies after falling from ambulance cot“, Eric Marotta, April 8, 2015