In many New York neighborhoods, paramedics are often asked to perform their jobs in the middle of chaos and confusion. Surrounded by emotional crowds, medical professionals must assess injuries and get the patients to a stable condition before transporting them to a hospital. In one recent incident, however, the patient’s injury was not apparent to the paramedics, and the woman they were treating did not survive.
The incident began in the early morning hours when a gunman opened fire in a neighborhood. Police and paramedics were on the scene within eight minutes and found a woman who claimed to be shot. Paramedics were not able to find a bullet wound, so they lay the woman on her back and assessed her condition. The woman’s family members told reporters that the paramedics kept repeating that the woman had not been shot and that there was no injury.
Nevertheless, they transported her to a New York hospital. In the ambulance, the woman’s condition declined, and paramedics then discovered the wound in her back. When the woman arrived at the hospital, the paramedics informed doctors of her condition, but the bullet had apparently already damaged her internally. Despite surgical efforts, doctors were not able to save her. She left behind three small children.
The press and the woman’s family are pointing their fingers at the paramedics and their failure to ascertain the woman’s true condition. When medical professionals are accused of mishandling cases, they benefit from consulting with an attorney. In these cases, the claimant must provide credible evidence to establish liability. A lawyer who is dedicated to defending those who work in the medical profession will use his resources to challenge those claims.
Source: Brownsville, NY Patch, “Young Brooklyn Mom Dies After City Paramedics Fail to Locate Gunshot Wound“, Sarah Kaufman, Dec. 2, 2016