My mother was mistreated by an EMT, what's the best course of action to take?

Question

A few weeks ago my mother needed to be taken to the hospital because she was extremely ill (we thought she might have had Pneumonia). An ambulance was called and when it came my mother (who is in her seventies) had a hard time getting inside. She was about half way in when the EMT decided to drag her along the floor of the ambulance (on her stomach) and pull her onto the gurney.

My mother was screaming in pain while he was doing this. I was so angry I was ready to punch the guy in the face, but of course I kept my cool (for my mother's sake). We argued on the way to the hospital, but there wasn't much I could do. He's an EMT and if I got too aggressive with him I could have been arrested.

After things calmed down and we got to the hospital I was more worried about my mother's illness than the situation with the EMT. My mother was diagnosed with intestinal inflammation and was admitted to the hospital. Luckily there was nothing seriously wrong with her and she was released several days later.

The experience with the EMT was traumatic for my mother and now that I think about it, I'm wondering if her intestinal inflammation might have have been caused by the EMT dragging her on her stomach along the metal floor of the ambulance.

What is the best course of action to take in this situation? Can I sue? Do I even have a case or can an EMT just drag someone into an ambulance like that?

Answer 1

Intestinal inflammation is not caused by being dragged on your stomach. That had nothing to do with it.



As for the EMT's actions, if you feel there was a problem then contact the EMT's supervisor and file a complaint and ask for an investigation. The ER can look at the records and tell you his name and what company he is associated with.

Answer 2

Unfortunately no all EMTs have good judgement as to who gets a cot and who does not. EMT forums like EMTlife talk about this all the time. Many justify having a patient climb into the ambulance and most of them view anyone who can wait by the front door as bullshit. This even includes elderly patients. They probably just thought your mother was some idiot who abuses the system with bull calls. The police may have sided with them and your mother was lucky the EMTs did not tell him to arrest her for abusing the system and wasting his time.



This is personally not how I would have approached this and your mother does deserve better care. But, EMS is not the patient care oriented profession it used to be. Most become EMTs believing people will worship them as heroes and live for the day another 9/11 attack happens.

Answer 3

Sorry for this experience. There has to be much more to the story that you're revealing...perhaps unintentionally. Patients aren't brought to an ambulance walking, unless already there by circumstance. In an emergency, if the patient is uncooperative or in jeopardy of losing their life, an EMT is permitted to take all reasonable steps to get the patient into the ambulance, to benefit all involved. If was very possible, the EMT thought she was resisting, for whatever reason. If the police were not there, it is incumbent on the EMT to get her into the ambulance, and get her medical attention.



If your mother is well now, I'd let this incident go. A lawsuit is stressful for elderly people, and you could very well shorten her life this way.



And no one is suggesting you're lying, but emotionally attached people in crisis see things differently, and in a lawsuit, the EMT will be perceived as the disinterested party, and that testimony more credible. Float this by a contingency-fee lawyer, and if no one takes this case, you'll see its limitations better.

Answer 4

I have a hard time believing this. I am an EMT. We are not allowed to have someone climb into the back of an ambulance...ever. They get on a gurney first then we load them. IF there was a cop there and IF this is a legit story....he would have stepped in.



And a little hint Cops have dash cams and most ambulances do as well....its to protect them from false lawsuits.



And medically speaking intestinal inflammation isnt cause by trauma like dragging. It caused by either an irratant in the stomach, acid reflux, IBS, or a hernia.

Answer 5

I don't believe this story, because anyone who is getting onto a gurney will be put on it BEFORE getting into the ambulance, no EMT is going to drag a person on the floor of the ambulance, they will take the gurney out, have her get on it, and lift the gurney up into the ambulance.