$2.7 Million Spine Injury Verdict

Injured Jockey Gets $2.7M From Ambulance Company

A jockey with a winning track record received an award of $2.7 million after he claimed ambulance personnel transported him to a track first aid station without immobilization after he was thrown from a horse during a race. The ambulance company disagreed with the verdict.

This is an excellent example of how EMS providers and agencies can get sued--and lose. The stakes are high. For a moment place yourself in the shoes of the providers on this call:

If you were an EMT in a case such as this how important do you think documentation would be when you get to court?

Does your agency have spinal inclusion protocols? Do you follow them closely and document your findings?



It is important to note that there are two sides in every case. I have no direct knowledge of this case and make no assumptions of guilt or innocence. Questions are for educational purpose only.

Medication Errors Hit Home

My 18 month old daughter had an ear infection. After a brief office visit with the pediatrician we left with a scrip for Omnicef. Off to the pharmacy. In this case I won't mention the pharmacy chain--I'll refer to the pharmacy as "Wrong Aid" to protect their identity.

After dropping the scrip off we did the obligatory 10 - 15 minutes of shopping with the unhappy child until the antibiotic was ready. When I got the bill it was twice what it normally was. The first alarm went off: this is different that the same scrip last month.

I asked a pharmacist who happened to be standing near the register (looking disinterested) about the difference in price. I was still working on the issue in my head. The dialogue (with unspoken thoughts):

Me: This is twice the cost it was last time. (I think something is wrong!)

Pharmacist: The co-pay is set by the insurance company. We have no control over that. (I got a Pharm.D to deal with these whiners?)

Me: But isn't that a big change? Has the concentration changed or something? (I still think there is something wrong.)

Pharmacist: (sigh) Let me look at it. No, it is right. Twice a day. There is enough in there for 6 days. (It is amazing that I don't dip into the Percocets because of these stupid customers.)

Me: 6 days? Isn't that a bit odd?

Pharmacist: That is what the doctor prescribed. There is enough in the bottle for that. 60ml. (Vicodin, Oxycontin...these needy parents of sick babies are driving me crazy.)

At this point I realized that the pharmacist was disinterested--and likely wrong. I decided to cut my losses and do what any self-respecting parent would do in this case: go to the Internet.

Sure enough it was more than double the manufacturer's recommended dose. The pharmacist who filled the prescription entered "twice" instead of "once per day." Interestingly that was a simple mistake and one which doesn't anger me nearly as much as the disinterested slug who could have caught the error. How?

1. When a flag is raised investigate why. My questions raised the flag--even though it was about cost--not dose.
2. The flag should have uncovered two points 1) Why treat an ear infection for 6 days? He obviously didn't pay attention during therapeutics class in pharmacy school and 2) 60ml is the EXACT amount for 10 ml/day for 6 days. Most liquid medications provide a bit extra since the dose pouring into a cup or oral syringe isn't the most exact. The correct dose (5ml/day for 10 days) would have left 10 ml extra.

"Wrong" Aid still calls me to apologize. Their risk management company called. I tell them all the same thing. The original pharmacist made a mistake. That happens. The second pharmacist blew me off and didn't care. That is unconscionable.