Legal Issues
The legal issues topic contains news and information about legal issues affecting EMS personnel, agencies or departments. Find the latest news from personnel misconduct, to disciplinary and harassment cases, to malpractice lawsuits, as well as advice to prevent legal action with EMS training, documentation and management.
When lots of red flags are waving, assess the patient, provide compassionate care and always take “I can’t breathe” seriously
“When the prosecutor sees and hears compassion, competence and professionalism, even in the face of significant errors being made, it becomes much harder to justify filing criminal charges”
Why right-sizing EMS response is crucial to increasing pay and improving work-life balance
Patrick Stein’s family sued the ambulance service and hospital, alleging that the paramedics who transported him were not informed he was a psychiatric patient
Mike McConnell was suspended for four days for taking a photo and video of a patient in 2016, and Kevin Murphy was suspended for 10 days for distributing them
The patient was in his restraints for about 20 minutes before breaking free and hijacking the ambulance, leading police on a lengthy chase
Colby VanWagoner pleaded guilty to stealing vials of morphine from ambulances and replacing them with watered-down solutions
A lawyer suing Dr. Jennifer Jones said she should have called 911 and told the ambulance to rush patient Christie Miville to the hospital with lights and sirens
Officials said Joshua Patterson, 21, found the 15-year-old patient on Snapchat and sent her sexually explicit photos of himself
James Perry pleaded guilty to driving under the influence while responding to a suspected drowning
Download the free white paper to learn how you and your organization can use collaboration to overcome many of today’s challenges and prepare for the future
Mario Thompson was arrested after authorities say his false call about an active shooter put an area hospital on an hours-long lockdown
Nyema Jackson’s family is suing both West Tennessee Healthcare and Deborah Schichtel, who was driving the ambulance at the time of the crash
NIOSH line of duty death investigation recommendations for conducting welfare checks are applicable to every EMS agency
An investigation into the 2016 fatal shooting of John Ulmschneider found responders were not warned of the possibility of guns on scene
London police said the former London Ambulance Service trainee “went rogue” after failing his paramedic exams
Michael L. Fostich admitted that he removed vials of morphine and fentanyl from locked safes on ambulances throughout 2016
A 911 communications center displays a lifesaver ring as a visual reminder of the purposeful work dispatchers do for their communities
A police report said Gene Southworth refused to let responders pull a victim from a crashed car, and his daughter caused a disturbance as he was detained
An EMT and a patient were transported to the hospital after Kevin Green allegedly ran them down in a road-rage episode
A family member of Bradley Ginn Sr. says she has suffered physical and mental pain caused by the “intentional and negligent care of a body”
Attorney General Pam Bondi announced that she has added the companies to a lawsuit filed last spring against Purdue Pharma, the maker of OxyContin, and others
Police said they found Denise Molina, who was found rolling around with her pants and underwear pulled down, kicked an EMT in the throat
Westmoreland County EMS Chief Jeff Beasley was suspended after a whistleblower highlighted several violations that occurred before the crash
Paramedics performed an emergency caesarean section to save Sana Muhammad’s baby after she was attacked with a crossbow in her kitchen
Brittany Buckley says Hennepin Healthcare paramedics forcibly injected her with ketamine last year and enrolled her in a clinical trial
Female paramedics at the South Western Ambulance Service Foundation Trust claim they were forced to watch porn and give sexual favors
Rom Duckworth shares his top tips, ideas and resources for improving initial and ongoing EMS education
Michael Ovdiyenko allegedly cursed a deputy while he was being arrested on suspicion of drunken driving, saying he would not help the cop if he was shot
EMT Jennifer Hayn-Hiton claims Heather Locklear kicked her and injured her enough to prevent her from working
Our cohosts discuss a recent event involving a paramedic allegedly choking a patient, and how and when to speak up in that situation
Laurie Leone was arrested after stealing an ambulance and following a fire truck in the rig
Body camera footage allegedly shows paramedic Raymond Lee choking an agitated patient while transporting her to a mental health facility
