Published by Arfaa Law Group
Paramedics and emergency medical technicians (EMTs) are first responders responsible for providing urgent medical care in emergency settings. We expect EMTs to improve the situation, not make it worse. If you or someone close to you has been injured due to the negligence of an EMT, we can help. At Arfaa Law Group, our EMT error lawyers can scrutinize the facts of your case and provide you with an honest assessment of your claim.
In some cases, EMTs and first responders may have some immunity from lawsuits for good-faith efforts to revive a patient or treat serious wounds. However, they can still be sued for medical malpractice if they act or fail to act in certain ways. EMT errors can cause a patient to sustain further injuries or illnesses beyond those they were originally suffering. Examples of such errors include but are not limited to:
- Failing to respond in a timely manner;
- Failing to bring or use the correct equipment;
- Making medication mistakes;
- Failing to administer oxygen;
- Failing to identify life-threatening conditions that need prompt action;
- Failing to keep the ambulance equipment in functioning order; or
- Failing to adhere to evaluation or treatment procedures.
Under Maryland law, medical malpractice claims are rooted in the theory of negligence. Specifically, malpractice occurs when a health care provider fails to adhere to the level of care to which another health care provider in the same specialty would have adhered in the same or similar circumstances. As a result, the level of care that is expected will vary from one situation to another. EMT negligence takes place when all of the following elements are met. The EMT had a duty to act using a certain level of care, the EMT breached that duty, and the plaintiff suffered harm or damages as a direct result of the EMT’s breach.
As with any other injury case, the nature and extent of your injury will dictate the amount of compensation to which you may be entitled. Typically, a malpractice plaintiff will be able to recover medical bills (including medication), rehabilitation costs, lost wages and benefits, and compensation for pain and suffering. In cases in which EMT negligence has caused the death of a loved one, you may be entitled to wrongful death damages as well, including funeral and burial costs, loss of companionship, mental anguish, and more.
EMTs often have to deal with high-pressure situations in which they have to make decisions very quickly. In these cases, it is imperative for EMTs to adhere to the appropriate standard of care in order not to cause harm to any patient. At Arfaa Law Group, our experienced Baltimore medical malpractice attorneys can examine the facts of your case and identify when the standard of care has been breached and when negligence has occurred. We are here to answer your questions and address your concerns. To get a free evaluation of your case, you can call 410-889-1850 or contact us online.
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