Spencer and Chris bring in the big guns from the Standard of Care podcast, Samantha Johnson and Nick Adams! This episode is probably one of the most disturbing cases of neglect we've reviewed in a while, so you've been warned!

On a hot Texas summer day, Dallas Fire responded to a grass fire on the side of the road.  Their subsequent encounter with a gentleman named Kyle Vess – all caught on surveillance camera - led to an ongoing lawsuit alleging “an abuse of power and a deliberate indifference to the life and welfare of the underprivileged in Dallas”.  What is the role of paramedics when confronted with a possible suspect?  Is it ever appropriate to fight a patient?  Are certain policies and practices of the...

An employee commits a terrible crime – should the employer be liable?  In this episode, we explore the nuances of negligent hiring, retention, supervision, and training.  What does it mean for an employee to be “in the scope of employment” to allow their employer to be sued in the first place?  When is an EMS agency responsible for its own negligence in keeping a problematic employee on staff?  If an employee commits a terrible crime, is the agency automatically off the hook?  Please like,...

Season 3 is here! The release of the police body camera footage in the cases of Earl Moore, Jr. in Springfield, Illinois and Tyre Nichols in Memphis, Tennessee show EMS personnel at their worst.  In both cases, the providers failed to assess their patients and render proper treatment.  In Illinois, these failures resulted in first degree murder charges; in Tennessee, the firings of the personnel involved.  The results of the cases may differ based upon whether the providers have qualified...

It’s the stuff of nightmares and horror stories: the dead rising from the grave.  On August 23, 2020, it happened in Michigan after a woman who was declared deceased by the responding EMS crew “woke up” in a funeral home.  Her case has been described as an instance of “Lazarus Syndrome”, or “autoresuscitation after failed cardiopulmonary resuscitation”, but was it this rare condition or negligence on the part of the providers?  Nick and Samantha discuss the family’s $50 million lawsuit...

Dispatchers, call-takers, emergency communications officers – our 911 communications staff are our first first responders.  They work to ensure that patients receive the right resources for their emergencies.  But sometimes, it goes wrong.  According to a recently filed lawsuit, a Pennsylvania dispatcher refused to send an ambulance to a patient, resulting in the patient’s death.  The incident was allegedly so egregious that the local district attorney filed criminal charges against the...

In April 2022, 81-year old Celeste Salanitri died twelve days after being resuscitated by paramedics.  Unfortunately, she never wanted to be resuscitated in the first place.  Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) laws – and the accompanying forms and rules – can be confusing.  In this episode, Nick and Samantha explain what DNR is – and is not – and explore the legal, ethical and clinical implications of DNRs for EMS providers.  Please like, comment, and subscribe!     Links:   Walser, A. (2022, May...

On this very special crossover episode, Nick and Samantha join Chris and Spencer on the EMS 20/20 podcast to enjoy a multi-layered case discussion peppered with legal issues.  This one is full of exciting flavors: capacity, refusals, maybe a little kidnapping, and a potentially justified assault.  Pull up a chair and join us as we serve up tips for handling a really difficult situation.  Please like, comment, and subscribe!   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We are now two years out from the beginning of “The Situation”, which means that it’s time for the lawsuits.  In this episode, Nick and Samantha review a case from Klamath County, Oregon, where the alleged malpractice of the responding paramedics led to a woman’s death from complications of Covid.  This case has some very sad – and shocking – facts.  But it’s not just the medics who may be at fault – it’s the fire chief, his deputy chief, and even the department’s lawyer!  From federal...

In late December 2017, Vanderbilt nurse RaDonda Vaught administered the wrong medication to a patient who subsequently died of an anoxic brain injury.  On March 25, 2022, a Tennessee jury found her guilty of gross neglect of an impaired adult and criminally negligent homicide.  Should providers – especially EMS providers – be worried that a medication error in the field could lead to jail time?  Is every treatment decision potentially a basis for not only civil liability, but criminal as...

On this episode of the Standard of Care Podcast, Nick and Samantha take a look at some of the liability issues surrounding the use of red lights and sirens.  What does the law allow the driver of an emergency vehicle to do?  What is “due regard”, anyway?  Are shorter response times making drivers more unsafe?  How does a plaintiff prove his or her case against the driver of an emergency vehicle, and what can you as the driver do to protect yourself?  Please like, comment, and...

On 8/22/2021, a Colorado grand jury handed down a 32-count criminal indictment against the police officers and EMS personnel involved in the incident that led to Elijah McClain’s death. On this episode of the Standard of Care, Nick and Samantha try to untangle what these indictments could mean for the EMS community. We reach out to our resident experts - former prosecutor (now business lawyer) Chris Timmons and defense attorney (and Samantha’s law school classmate) Stephen Coxen – for...

COVID-19 has strained the healthcare system to its breaking point. In this episode of the Standard of Care, Nick and Samantha are joined by Beth Sivertsen, Medical Ethicist and critical care nurse. We examine “crisis standards of care” and what those words mean for EMS. What are crisis standards of care? Who declares that they are in effect? What impact do crisis standards have on EMS providers’ legal obligations to patients? What is the ethical thing to do in a situation where...

On this episode of the Standard of Care Podcast, Nick and Samantha take on the controversial topic of religious accommodations for the COVID-19 vaccines under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Can employees request religious exemptions from vaccinations? What is a “sincerely held religious belief”? What information should employees provide, and what can employers request? What is an “undue hardship” for an employer?

Fatigue in EMS isn’t new. Almost every EMT and paramedic has a story. So grab a coffee or an energy drink and join us as Nick and Samantha take a look at a recent case that happened in our own backyards. We consider the criminal and civil liabilities that fatigue creates for EMTs, paramedics, and EMS agencies. What can the tired EMT or paramedic do? What should agencies be doing to decrease the fatigue suffered by employees in the face of increased call volumes and staffing challenges? ...

Intubations are risky business. Paramedics – and their patients – benefit from the right tools, education, and training. But when does “practicing intubations” become an issue of legal liability? On this episode of the Standard of Care Podcast, Nick and Samantha review the case of the Bellingham, Washington fire department’s intubation practice on a deceased patient. The incident spawned several lawsuits and resulted in the City’s public release of its outside counsel’s confidential...

On this episode of the Standard of Care Podcast, Nick and Samantha try to help EMS providers make sense of one of the most widely known (yet least understood!) laws on the books, the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA). What is the law meant to address? Is EMTALA different for hospital-based and non-hospital-based EMS providers? Can your ambulance be parked at the ER ramp, or your patient turned away? What does the 250-yard rule have to do with care? Has COVID changed the way...

On this episode of the Standard of Care Podcast, Nick and Samantha examine the legal issues of the Elijah McClain case in Colorado. Mr. McClain’s tragic death – and other situations like his - has led politicians to call for bans on the use of ketamine. We look at how Mr. McClain’s lawyers tell his story and what claims they bring against Aurora Fire and its medical director. This case has important lessons for crews, supervision, and medical directors. How can you protect your patient,...

On this episode of the Standard of Care Podcast, Nick and Samantha discuss one of their favorite topics: patient refusals! We examine why patient refusals are a liability trap - how can providers walk the fine line between respecting patient wishes and ensuring that patients receive proper care? We discuss Nick’s handy acronym “CURED” (capacity, understanding, risks, education, decision/documentation). Making sure your patient is CURED protects you as the provider from liability and...

On this episode of the Standard of Care Podcast, Nick and Samantha roll up their sleeves and discuss the legal impacts of the new COVID-19 vaccine on the EMS workforce. Can an employer mandate that employees receive the vaccine? What is the impact on medical accommodations under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and religious accommodations under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964? Are employees potentially covered by workers’ compensation if the vaccine causes injuries? ...

Following up on the last episode, and further exploring why people sue, Nick and Samantha take a look at two lawsuits recently filed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Mario Bianchi and Joseph Nocero both died in incidents that occurred two months apart when both attended Philadelphia Eagles games at Lincoln Financial Field. Their deaths are allegedly a result of the poor medical response by National Event Services, the on-site EMS provider. We provide a short refresher on negligence and...

In the very first episode of the Standard of Care Podcast, Nick and Samantha take a look at why lawsuits happen to EMS providers. What makes people sue? We talk about some studies that show the reasons why people might take legal action. How can paramedics and EMTs avoid lawsuits? Please like, comment, and subscribe!