Man died after Medway paramedics failed to provide oxygen, lawsuit says
A Medway man died after paramedics allegedly didn’t present oxygen and did not safe him to a gurney, which allowed him to fall off.
Two staff with Medway Ambulance Service responded to a name round 3 a.m. on April 16, 2022, for Kenneth LaPorte Sr., 72. His oxygen saturation ranges have been round 74 p.c, based on a lawsuit filed in Penobscot County Superior Court docket.
The emergency medical technicians failed to supply LaPorte oxygen, compelled him to stroll to the ambulance and didn’t safe him to a gurney once they tried to load him into the ambulance, per the lawsuit.
It provides that when the EMTs did not do their duties, they have been the proximate reason for LaPorte’s demise.
Their actions brought about emotional misery to Susan LaPorte, Kenneth’s spouse of 53 years, and grandson Ryan Pepin, who witnessed LaPorte’s fall, accidents and demise. The lawsuit alleges Medway was negligent, negligently inflicted psychological misery, brought about LaPorte’s wrongful demise and brought about LaPorte to have aware struggling earlier than he died.
Medway denied the allegations in a written response.
The 2 EMTs usually are not named within the lawsuit. They have been staff of Medway, which implies town is answerable for their actions, based on the lawsuit.
Susan LaPorte and Pepin are requesting $750,000 for lack of consolation, society and companionship, $250,000 for punitive damages, and cheap quantities for numerous bills together with medical, funeral and lawyer charges.
LaPorte was a father of three, had 12 grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren, his obituary stated. He was pleased with his household and household gatherings have been necessary. He liked watching birds and folks from his entrance porch.
By the tip of the occasions, LaPorte, an Military and Nationwide Guard veteran, allegedly had a gash on the again of his head, had black and blue bruises to his face, was lined in grime and his ears and neck have been black.
When EMTs arrived on scene and went into the house, one emergency medical technician refused the medical bag the driving force introduced, saying “I don’t want the bag, take it again out,” based on the lawsuit.
An EMT had LaPorte stroll “an unreasonable distance” to the ambulance, as an alternative of putting him on a gurney and utilizing the wheelchair ramp. No important indicators have been taken earlier than the choice was made, the lawsuit continued.
He used oxygen and the tube was not lengthy sufficient to succeed in the ambulance, so an EMT allegedly disconnected it. The EMT “negligently failed” to make use of the moveable oxygen in the course of the 50-foot stroll.
LaPorte was then positioned on a gurney however not strapped onto it.
After an EMT went into the ambulance and bought an oxygen tube, that individual then tried to untangle the tubing exterior the ambulance.
LaPorte stopped respiration throughout that point, the lawsuit stated.
When LaPorte was lifted into the ambulance, he slid off the gurney as a result of he was not secured to it. As he fell he hit his head on the ambulance’s bumper after which the bottom earlier than rolling beneath the bumper, per the lawsuit.
His head and neck stayed beneath the bumper whereas his torso was uncovered. The EMT didn’t attempt to transfer LaPorte to supply medical look after his head. LaPorte was additionally not moved to a gurney the place CPR is more practical than on the bottom, the lawsuit stated.
LaPorte was pronounced lifeless after about half-hour of CPR. His reason for demise was acute respiratory failure, based on his demise certificates. Persistent obstructive pulmonary illness was additionally a reason for demise, which he had for about 5 years.
Medway created a tentative coverage for strapping sufferers to gurneys but it surely was by no means carried out, per the lawsuit. The ambulance service was discontinued after that occasion.
