Charlotte Paramedic & EMT Negligence Lawyer

Charlotte Paramedic & EMT Negligence Attorney

Both paramedics and EMTs play an important role in providing emergency care to those who need it most. It’s a service that many rely on, with many people citing that these emergency services have saved their lives. However, sometimes, these vital services fail to meet the standard of care expected of them. When this happens, it can cause damages that are worthy of being compensated. A Charlotte paramedic and EMT negligence lawyer can help those affected.

At Elam & Rousseaux, PLLC, we understand how devastating it can be to experience the negligence of a trusted professional like a paramedic or EMT. In these cases, we can investigate every last detail of your case to ensure we build a strong claim. Our personal injury team can advocate for your rights in court and fight for the amount of compensation you rightfully deserve after dealing with such a traumatic event.

Common Examples of Paramedic & EMT Negligence in North Carolina

It’s important to understand the different ways in which a paramedic or EMT could fail in their duty to provide quality medical care. Unfortunately, there are a variety of ways in which a paramedic, EMT, or healthcare professional can fail to aid a patient properly. The following are some of the most common forms of paramedic and EMT negligence seen in Charlotte:

• Delayed Responses to Emergencies One of the basic expectations of emergency services is that they will arrive as quickly as they can. The longer it takes for them to arrive at the scene, the higher the potential that someone’s injuries will worsen. Many times, a delay in medical aid is the difference between life and death. These delays can be caused by many different events, like miscommunication between team members or not properly prioritizing the calls that are coming in.
• Improper Administration of Medications Both paramedics and EMTs are expected to administer medications in emergency situations as needed. This could include using epinephrine when someone is experiencing a strong allergic reaction or using pain management drugs for someone who has been severely hurt. Unfortunately, sometimes the wrong medication is administered. This can cause even greater pain to the patient and could also lead to serious health events, like a cardiac complication.
• Failure to Properly Assess a Patient’s Condition It’s vital for any paramedic or EMT professional to accurately assess a patient’s condition before they start to provide emergency care. Both paramedics and EMTs are trained to assess patients quickly and thoroughly so that they can administer care as soon as possible. However, if the paramedic or EMT fails to accurately determine the condition of their patient, they could provide the wrong kind of care and cause serious health issues.Additionally, if a responder fails to recognize how serious a condition is or dismisses clear symptoms, they could also be held liable for negligence.
• Leaving the Scene Prematurely Sometimes, a paramedic or EMT decides that a patient does not need to be transported to the hospital after assessing their condition. When this happens, they may choose to leave the scene. If this decision was made quickly and in error, it could cause the individual who called for help to experience even more medical problems.For example, if medical personnel decide an individual doesn’t need to go to the hospital and that patient later suffers even more medical problems due to lack of treatment, the EMTs or paramedics who made that decision can be held responsible.
• Failing to Follow Established Protocols There are many different protocols established for the roles of paramedics and EMTs to ensure that patients receive the quality care they need. When these strict guidelines are deviated, it puts the patient at significant risk of experiencing even greater harm. For example, if they cut corners when performing CPR or fail to stabilize a patient’s spine in a trauma situation, both scenarios could cause additional complications.

FAQs About Charlotte, NC Paramedic & EMT Negligence Laws

What Is Needed to Prove Negligence in an EMT?

To successfully prove that an EMT has engaged in negligent behavior, it must be made clear that the EMT breached their duty of care. This can be as simple as comparing what happened at the scene of the emergency to the standard practices that are already laid out for these professionals. Collecting various pieces of evidence, like the medical records of the injured parties and witness statements from the scene, can help prove negligence was a factor in the case.

What Is an Example of Gross Negligence in an EMT?

Gross negligence by an EMT occurs when there has been a serious disregard for the standard of care that is expected from these professionals. The outcome of these cases is often either severe injury or death. One of the most common examples of gross negligence is when an EMT ignores clear signs that someone is having a severe health event like a heart attack or stroke. When this is ignored, the patient or their family can open a claim for gross negligence.

What Does Simple Negligence Mean as an EMT?

An act of simple negligence is when an EMT makes a careless oversight that prevents them from meeting the basic level of support expected in their role. For example, if an EMT administers the wrong medication while trying to quickly provide care, they could still be charged with simple negligence, even if they did not intend to cause any harm. Depending on the severity of the injury, the patient can still press charges for any damages they experienced.

What Three Items Usually Need to be Proven to Prove Negligence?

The three main items that must be established in these negligence cases include duty, breach, and causation. It first must be clear that the EMT had a duty of care toward the patient, which is generally already established after taking on this role. Secondly, there must be evidence that they breached this duty. Once that is made clear, a lawyer needs to link the specific breach of duty to the injuries that their client suffered.

Contact Elam & Rousseaux, PLLC, Today

If you have recently been injured under the care of EMS providers and are considering filing negligence charges, contact the attorneys of Elam & Rousseaux, PLLC, today. We have spent years supporting clients who have faced tragic injuries under the care of those who were supposed to protect them, and we would be honored to provide our resources to help investigate and resolve your case as well.