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.
An Alabama recruit school is under investigation after video emerges of a staged EMS response in a bathroom
The patient care report needs to clearly and consistently demonstrate that patients received good patient care
Be thorough, timely and proofread your PCRs to ensure your treatments and professionalism won’t be called into question
Generate learning and improvement opportunities for the organization, citizens and stakeholders
The restraint policy states that a patient is never to be transported in a prone position and calls for regular circulation checks
The Memphis Fire Department’s decision follows the firing of five city police officers over the alleged use of force and failure to render aid to Tyre Nichols
Plainfield found out that a squad employee embezzled funds, and the chief had been responding to calls without a current state EMT certification
“We must never, ever forego the safety of our patients because we are angry, tired, hungry, cold or irritated,” one commenter wrote
The state health department suspended the Walla Walla man’s paramedic license, making him ineligible for paid leave, a city spokesperson said
Over 100 fire and EMS personnel responded to the blaze that killed a 13-year-old boy and hurt a total of five people
The department dismissed Dakota Ibrahim and suspended Joseph Schultz; Leonardo Guerrero died after being strapped to a stretcher in an ambulance
If convicted, Peggy Finley and Peter Cadigan could each face 20 to 60 years in prison
“I hope to continue to nurture our relationship, taking into consideration the needs of the boots on the ground,” Chief Michael Fields said
The top 5 golden rules for making your goals and resolutions a reality
A judge decided to schedule three separate trials — one for the two EMSproviders, one for two police officers, and another for one officer
John Krueger has been accused of inappropriately touching two children and is on unpaid leave from the Antigo Fire Department
If you don’t know that prone positioning can cause great bodily harm or death in some patients, you don’t belong in EMS
Teaching points from the ‘malpractice or murder’ case – Part 1: Action steps for EMS leaders
Four paramedics and four EMTs resigned from CARE Ambulance’s Fairfield location, forcing leaders to call in workers from other branches
Halyna Hutchins died shortly after being wounded during rehearsals; Baldwin was pointing a pistol at Hutchins when the gun went off, killing her
Peter J. Cadigan, 50, and Peggy Finley, 45, are currently being held in the Sangamon County Jail on $1 million bonds each
The suspect was found to possess 20 guns and 4 grams of meth and had been considering stealing the fire truck and ambulance, Rochester police said
EMS providers were tending to a patient when they noticed the vehicle was missing
Christopher Biggs is working as an advanced life support training coordinator for the Maryland Fire and Rescue Institute
Office of Special Counsel: “The evidence showed many [Niagara Falls] employees — both students and instructors — on leave during the reported training courses”
Pompton Lakes VFD members were using a thermal imaging camera in the house to find the smoke source when “the home literally exploded,” officials said
EMS providers and leaders have a “duty to act” to ensure patients are treated with dignity and compassion
Nagel helped develop ALS and the country’s first paramedicine program, held leadership roles through the 1980s and was an adviser for “Emergency!”
EMS providers and leaders have a “duty to act” to ensure patients are treated with dignity and compassion
”... As frustrated as I’ve ever been on a call, I can’t fathom doing any of these things to a patient,” one commenter wrote
The airplane’s cockpit voice recorder, cockpit image recorder and other electronic components will be transported to the NTSB laboratory
When lots of red flags are waving, assess the patient, provide compassionate care and always take “I can’t breathe” seriously
