Washington DC Injury Lawyer Blog
The family of two-year-old Stephanie Stephens is suing the city of Washington DC and DC Fire and EMS for her wrongful death. Stephens, who died last February, was allegedly refused medical transport after her parents contacted 911. At the time, she was having problems breathing. Yet it would be another 8 hours, and after Stephens’ condition grew worse and her mother contacted 911 again, before the toddler would finally be transported to the hospital.
Stephens later died from pneumonia. She also had septic shock and a strep infection.
According to the plaintiffs, who are also seeking damages for Washington DC medical malpractice, paramedics that arrived following the first 911 call failed to diagnose any of these health issues.
In their Washington DC wrongful death lawsuit, Stephens’ family claims that the three paramedics that arrived at the scene not only gave the little girl an inadequate examination, but also they refused to transport her to a hospital and were only in the home for 10 minutes.
The plaintiffs contend that DC fire and EMS improperly trained its EMTs and that paramedics have had problems passing training tests. In March, DC Police announced a criminal probe into one of the paramedics that responded to the emergency call. No charges have been filed.
Stephens’ family believes that the little girl would have survived if only the first EMS team had taken her to the hospital. They are seeking compensatory and punitive damages.
If you believe that Washington DC paramedic malpractice contributed to the injuries or illness of you or someone you love, you may have grounds for a DC personal injury claim or wrongful death case.
Family of 2-Year-Old Files Wrongful Death Lawsuit Against DC, MyFoxDC, September 30, 2010