Legal Issues
The legal issues topic contains news and information about legal issues affecting EMS personnel, agencies or departments. Find the latest news from personnel misconduct, to disciplinary and harassment cases, to malpractice lawsuits, as well as advice to prevent legal action with EMS training, documentation and management.
EMS clinicians should rely on their assessment and facts when assessing people with a suspected factitious disorder
These sources of start-up and long-term funding can help launch and provide economic sustainability for mobile integrated health care
The Legal Guardian answers a reader鈥檚 question about legal liability for his partner鈥檚 inaccurate and poorly written patient care narratives
A judge dismissed a lawsuit against Puyallup police and Central Pierce Fire & Rescue filed by a woman who was misdiagnosed with DUI but was later found to have suffered a massive stroke
Make no mistake, every EMS provider in every state has a duty to perform a full and complete assessment on every living patient
A complete narrative in the patient care report that is reviewed and signed by the patient is your best protection against liability for the non-transport decision
A former sheriff and a volunteer firefighter created a bill that makes harassing first responders engaged in their lawful duty a first-degree misdemeanor
The lawsuit alleges EMS workers left without helping a man who had called for emergency aid 鈥� only for his son to find him dead the next day
Records show the chief performed intubation and administered IVs, while unlicensed, while his son conducted CPR and ventilation without a valid EMT license
The founders of the Women in Emergency Services association discuss their mission
What first responders can learn about fatigue management from the U.S. Army鈥檚 doctrine on readiness
鈥淭here has never been a more crucial time to have a wingmate in EMS 鈥� a wingmate to watch your six and guide each other through the storm鈥�
A Baton Rouge paramedic pleaded guilty to falsely posing as a doctor to call in prescriptions, facing up to five years in prison and hefty fines
A fatal explosion at a Troy medical facility鈥檚 hyperbaric oxygen therapy chamber claimed the life of a five-year-old boy and injured his mother
A new policy aims to curb sexual harassment claims, including a $350K settlement to former 鈥淛ersey Shore鈥� star and EMT Angelina Pivarnick over alleged misconduct
Former Bellingham firefighters alleged that a 2021 vaccine mandate violated their rights and caused emotional distress through a 鈥渟corched-earth鈥� enforcement policy
Field supervisors need to ensure EMS personnel follow infection control guidelines and ambulance decontamination processes
Eve Grau, co-founder of Royal Ambulance, a Glassdoor Employee鈥檚 Choice winner, shares the moments that matter, and how to recognize performance
On his first day, President Trump ordered federal agencies to end all 鈥渆quity-related鈥� grants and contracts, later mandating contractors to certify they don鈥檛 promote DEI
Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita is seeking the dissolution of the Dillsboro Emergency Ambulance Unit due to declining responses
A judge sentenced the driver to seven years after he pleaded guilty to the wrong-way crash that killed off-duty Independence Firefighter/Paramedic Harold 鈥淕ene鈥� Eddins
The former Albuquerque Fire Department dispatcher told a 911 caller in 2015 to 鈥渄eal with it yourself鈥� before hanging up on her as she tried to help a 17-year-old shooting victim who later died
Lt. Nelson Seto called 911 reporting breathing trouble, but EMTs left when he didn鈥檛 answer the door; hours later, he was found dead
Steve Whitehead shares how to avoid legal action, negligence or malpractice with the golden rule
No one wants to join a sinking ship
The lawsuit asserts the Hercules officers were informed that the patient was experiencing a seizure
The responders said in a report that they were hungry a fatigued; a firefighter/EMT involved in the case has been fired
Allegations of a coverup lead to disciplinary action within the fire department
New Jersey State Police mistook the woman鈥檚 stroke symptoms for drug use, delaying medical care and leaving her permanently disabled, a lawsuit said
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