Ambulance Malpractice Lawyer Alabama
When an ambulance company and its paramedics or EMTs undertake to transport you in an ambulance, you trust that the medical team caring for you will drive safely, keep you safe and provide proper care, and provide emergency treatment until you can get to the hospital.
Ambulance providers do not always properly screen or supervise their employees, ensure their providers are properly credentialed and trained, or ensure that they are fit for duty. The EMS staff themselves may fail to properly respond to a situation or provide the care needed to the patient. This can result in medical errors or harm to the patient. An EMS worker or ambulance driver’s negligence can also cause a collision on the roadway, resulting in harm to the patient.
If you or a loved one suffered harm or didn’t receive proper treatment after calling an ambulance, you may have grounds for compensation. Our Alabama ambulance malpractice lawyers from Marsh | Rickard | Bryan, LLC, can explain your legal options in a free consultation.
What Kind Of Malpractice Can Happen In An Ambulance?
Paramedics must be trained to promptly and accurately diagnose and treat patients. EMS attendants are typically supervised by a physician medical director, who is responsible for ensuring that first responders are properly trained and capable of administering emergency medications, like epinephrine, administering an EKG, or intubating a patient.
Just like other healthcare providers, paramedics have a standard duty of care for patients that they must follow. If they deviate from that standard of care, whether through negligence, omission, or carelessness, they could be legally liable for harm caused to their patients.
Medical Malpractice And Ambulance Transportation
If you received poor care in an ambulance, you’re not alone. Many people are victims of negligence or carelessness each year in Alabama. Healthcare provider bias is a key contributor to medical misdiagnosis, in which the provider assumes the medical problem without proper assessment or exams and not listening to the patient and their family. For EMS workers, provider bias can be extremely critical, as it could make a life-or-death difference to the patient.
Malpractice includes misdiagnosis, improper care, or failure to provide the level of care that other medical professionals would have provided if faced with a patient presenting similar symptoms in similar circumstances.
Compensation Available In An Alabama Ambulance Malpractice Claim
Victims of negligence in ambulance treatment may demand compensation for all medical expenses stemming from the ambulance injury, plus compensation for their pain and suffering and other legal damages. If the patient dies as a result, then their loved ones may be entitled to legal damages aimed at preserving human life and deterring the at-fault providers (and others like them) from engaging in similar conduct in the future. Call Marsh | Rickard | Bryan, LLC, today for a free initial consultation.