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.
Optimism is less a personality trait and more a strategy for how to deal with outside events – and strategies can be learned
Books
Too often, the “best” paramedic is promoted to supervisor without training in the knowledge, skills and abilities they need to be successful leaders
Strategies to report and prevent sexual misconduct, so that all employees feel safe at work
Virtua Health System hopes to overturn legislation that would give Cooper University Hospital control of all EMS services in Camden
Volunteers have an obligation to move the EMS profession forward by being informed, engaged, and involved
For roughly 10 minutes after the sailor collapsed, he did not receive CPR or shocks from a nearby defibrillator
The Acadian Ambulance CEO praises the EMS response and the personal connection of many personnel to the victims
Mobile Medical Response released a statement saying the deceased man was found after “a more extensive search in the daylight hours”
An investigation into the NJ volunteer agency’s finances began after another member suspected thefts were taking place
The shooter initially tried to flee with the crowd but turned back when he saw police; he fatally shot himself
On the 10th year of the Pinnacle EMS Leadership Forum Fitch reflects on the era of big data, community paramedicine, and EMS provider health and wellness
It’s unknown whether the man was alive when EMTs first responded; his body was found by a second ambulance crew more than an hour later
A case claiming the EMT violated patient privacy rights has been moved from state court to federal court
A gofundme.com account will help pay for defense expenses for an off-duty medic who hit a parked car with an ambulance when responding to a call
In response to a comment about a video showing firefighters being stabbed on a medical call, he posted: “Sadly, I will delay treatment for more of them as well.”
Troy Goode was behaving erratically after 4-5 hits of LSD, fled from police, and fought with EMS and hospital personnel before his death
The suit against the city, FD and EMT Thomas is for gross negligence and intentional infliction of emotional distress
St. Louis Fire Department Capt. Gregg Favre said the report lays out what a model policy, or city, state or federal law could look like
The Minn. man received three years of probation for “leaving vulnerable patients without the medicine they needed”
The death of two men, in separate incidents, came after the fire department took over most of the ambulance transport duties from private contractors
The 19-member civilian panel found limited progress because of understaffing, deferred maintenance costs, outdated facilities and a lack of strategic planning
Chris Cebollero and Kelly Grayson advise to “shut your mouth and do your job” rather than engage with a member of the public recording a patient in a public place during a call
It’s unclear if the patient died from injuries sustained in the ambulance crash after the driver went through a red light with lights and sirens activated
Instead of anguishing about millennials entering the workforce EMS chiefs need to leverage their interests and embrace their aspiration
In dispatch audio recording the EMS supervisor repeatedly ordered EMT Thomas to respond to the 9-month-old in cardiac arrest
Honest and early communication is almost always the best way to communicate with EMS employees
The way we have provided emergency medical services in the past will not work in the future
The medic is suspected of stealing cash from a wallet found when responding to the unattended death of a woman in her apartment
The audit criticized medics for failing to complete medical records after delivering emergency care and directs officials to launch a retraining effort
The human resources investigation was triggered by Charleston County (S.C.) EMS Chief Don Lundy’s self-published book, which included negative comments about four employees
The 27-year-old pleaded guilty to possession of drugs he obtained for himself and five friends to share at a music festival
Since we know sick kids are infrequently encountered and cause significant EMS provider apprehension, we have an obligation to improve provider’s preparation
MOST POPULAR
- Ambulance companies taking patients to court to collect money owed
- Stabbing survivor sues Mass. city and AMR for 2016 incident
- Seattle to pay $65.75M to ambulance crash victim
- Former Fla. FF-medic sues county after being denied cancer benefit
- Pa. woman sues over mother’s death, says dispatcher denied service