Personal Injury - Wrongful Death at the Hands of an EMT
They take the responsibility of strangers' lives into their own hands on a daily basis and sometimes, the outcome is not so favourable.
EMT's are human too, and they make human mistakes.
However, sometimes the mistakes made are completely avoidable and unnecessary.
In these instances, if the mistake had not occurred, the patient would most likely survived the medical emergency.
When someone dies because of an error made by emergency personnel, the victim's loved ones tend to suffer the most.
Most of these cases are first investigated by the police or an internal investigation unit from the medical emergency department who sent out the EMT responsible.
Immediate family members are usually required to be present during these investigations, or are so overcome with grief that they require leaves of absence from work or school.
If it is suspected that a loved one has passed away due to an error or action made by an emergency medical technician, an attorney skilled in wrongful death cases is an invaluable asset.
Having an experienced wrongful death attorney at your side during this time of emotional distress can ensure that your rights are protected and exercised.
Also, having an attorney present as soon as possible after such an incident means that the attorney will have a clearer picture of the case and know the details in and out.
This will allow a strong case to be built for his/her clients.
In Washington, only the victim's immediate family may file such a suit.
Attorneys who are experienced in wrongful death suits know how to find every last bit of compensation a victim's family may be entitled to and they know how to fight for it.
Because these cases are so emotionally involved, an attorney can determine if the case is pursuable.
Some cases may not be pursuable in court due to lack of evidence, or if it is questionable as to what caused the death of the victim.
Wrongful death suits against emergency medical technicians are normally pretty clear cases, where there is absolutely no doubt that the death was entirely avoidable.
Having an attorney with experience and a high success rate in similar cases, who is aggressive and ready to see your case through to the bitter end, will ensure that the family of a wrongful death victim receives the compensation they are entitled to.
Compensations may include pain and suffering, loss of wages, future loss of wages, loss of protection or care, general and punitive damages, medical bills associated with the emergency call and hospital treatments (if any), restitution and others.
There is a long list of compensation that a victim's family could be entitled to, making it very important to hire a lawyer who knows how to find them.