Friday, November 20, 2009

** North Carolina family sues after paramedics declared live patient dead;man now debilitated

** Colorado seizure patient mulling lawsuit against medic who beat him up

UNITED STATES NEWS

** The family of a Raleigh, North Carolina man, originally left for dead five years ago by erring paramedics, is attempting to sue over the man’s now deteriorated condition. That is the word from the News Observer (Mandy Locke/November 19) which said relatives of car accident victim Larry Green are attempting to hold Louisburg EMS workers responsible. According to the newspaper, Green, 34, was delivered to the coroner’s office on January 24, 2005 after paramedics declared him dead at a crash scene;resuscitation efforts began only when life signs were detected after the body was removed from the refrigerator. Requiring constant round the clock attention at his rest home, Green’s family is seeking compensation to pay for the care. Franklin County has already settled by paying out $1 million. Proceedings continue against both the prehospital providers involved and now retired county coroner J.B. Perdue, 72. Perdue several times allegedly refused to acknowledge Green was alive, despite a handful of  responders on scene and at the hospital claiming they saw him move.

** A Denver, Colorado seizure patient, pummeled by the paramedic treating him January 3, may sue both the practitioner and Denver Health. 9NEWS (Jace Larson/Anna Hewson/December 18) quoted Tim Smith as saying he still suffers lingering health problems as a result of the beating. According to the newspaper, Smith suffered a broken nose, eye socket, and skull in the attack. He was also on life support for five days. Paramedic Alan Miller, meanwhile, who was charged following the incident, has since been sentenced to 12 years in jail for second-degree assault.