Woman sues Salem after tripping over EMT bag

[krandino]

While it sounds frivolous let me tell you a little story. Around winter of 1994 my wife slipped on ice in our own driveway. Fell and made a compound fracture of the distal portion of the ulna and radius. Fixator put in and carpal tunnel release done, twice. Fixator removed and pain doesn't go away. For years the pain in her wrist continued and started to spread. Took a pain specialist to diagnose it as Complex regional pain syndrome. Meaning they know its real, they can actually measure it but they don't know very much about it. Long story short, its 2008 the pain has spread through her body. She takes many meds for the pain, she has three implantable stimulators in her body to try to help with the pain. The two for her left arm were like a miracle but the one for her leg is far less effective. She has continuos pain 24/7/365 that the meds don't touch and she still works 40 to 50 hours a week. We are hoping she can make it to 55 so she can retire. She sleeps from 7:30 at night until wake up, or at least she tries but really doesn't sleep well at all. She is always tired and try imagining being in continual pain with no relief.

I don't know if that women is FOS or not. If she is then I have nothing but contempt for her, but the possibilities that it could have become more than a simple broken wrist is always a possibility. How much money would my wifes conditions be worth to you?

K.

[spenac]

While it sounds frivolous let me tell you a little story. Around winter of 1994 my wife slipped on ice in our own driveway. Fell and made a compound fracture of the distal portion of the ulna and radius. Fixator put in and carpal tunnel release done, twice. Fixator removed and pain doesn't go away. For years the pain in her wrist continued and started to spread. Took a pain specialist to diagnose it as Complex regional pain syndrome. Meaning they know its real, they can actually measure it but they don't know very much about it. Long story short, its 2008 the pain has spread through her body. She takes many meds for the pain, she has three implantable stimulators in her body to try to help with the pain. The two for her left arm were like a miracle but the one for her leg is far less effective. She has continuos pain 24/7/365 that the meds don't touch and she still works 40 to 50 hours a week. We are hoping she can make it to 55 so she can retire. She sleeps from 7:30 at night until wake up, or at least she tries but really doesn't sleep well at all. She is always tired and try imagining being in continual pain with no relief.

I don't know if that women is FOS or not. If she is then I have nothing but contempt for her, but the possibilities that it could have become more than a simple broken wrist is always a possibility. How much money would my wifes conditions be worth to you?

K.

Sorry to hear, but thanks for making the point I was trying to make. We do not know what is really involved based on the limited info in the report, therefore should not judge.

I hope your wife finds the right treatment and gets relief.

[Dustdevil]

I don't dispute whether or not the woman's injuries or suffering are real or not. I have no reason to believe otherwise.

What I do dispute is whether or not EMS is liable. When you intentionally insert yourself into an emergency scene, you are knowingly taking a risk. Suing EMS in this instance would be like suing the FD if you crashed into a fire truck that was blocking an accident scene. It is YOUR situational awareness that failed, not the agency.

Similarly, the premise owner would not be liable either, because once EMS arrives, they are in charge of the hazards at that scene, not him.

Tough luck, bimbo. Shoulda' had insurance.

[Richard B the EMT]

The time lapse between the alleged incident and the time of filing the lawsuit could be legitimate.

A guy fell on ice on a sidewalk, suffering minor injuries in November 2005, I treated and transported. The case, following investigation, getting the case into court, preps of suits and counter-suits, came up in July 2008, when I was called into court about the case.

[breezemail]

Salem, MA is another "Man, it's cold out there!" place. Being an EMT in the rugged, old cold of South Dakota where the deer and the antelope play, I would like to suggest a class action of EMT sympathy to present that sue-happy victim with a deluge of vast quantities of cups of boiling hot, fast food coffee, since there is already legal precedent to sue the good samaritans for providing steam heat comfort during treatment with such, clearly, lethal intent to injure!! At least we can all enjoy a good cup of coffee, while we wait for our verdict and sentence to be levied. Was her wrist treated with supplies from the jump kit, perchance? I believe I see reason for a civil countersuit for payment of unneccessarily depleted public supplies and professional time for skills utilized to treat a negligently- acquired injury, in the course of emergency safety work dispatch. I think it a shame that such litigation stupidity be only uni-lateral. If we were not actually involved in provision of care and compassion above all else, we could certainly fill needs within our services by the insanity of bi-lateral litigation. I am proud that we are inclined to provide life-saving treatment and comforting care for the non-monetary, utter love of helping our fellow human beings, knowing that it may be myself lying on the ground, broken, one day. This reply is suggested as tongue-in-cheek, but it does give pause for thought, doesn't it?