Medical transport accidents may be more common than you think. If you are involved in one, you can suffer serious injuries and may need to pursue compensation for your expenses, including time off work to heal.
Medical vehicles can be involved in traffic accidents and can hit pedestrians or other structures. These accidents can be caused by driver error, including traveling too fast for the conditions to stop, driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, or fatigue.
Fatigue can be brought on by long hours and repeated responses to stressful emergency situations, which can cause burnout and delay a driver’s reaction time.
Sometimes, the road and weather conditions can cause an accident. Examples of these conditions include rain, snow, and ice as well as uneven surfaces and construction zones. The driver may have a harder time navigating these conditions if they lack training in how to respond to these challenges.
Additional risks
Patients can be injured in a fall if they are not restrained correctly or if their restraint comes loose in an accident. They often rely on the medical equipment on board the transport vehicle, so if these are damaged in an accident, it can cause them significant harm or even death.
If the patient needs to be transferred to another medical transport vehicle, they can be hurt if they are not properly lifted. They can also be injured if there is miscommunication between healthcare providers or a failure to follow protocols.
In addition to sprains, bruises and minor cuts, you could experience more serious injuries like broken bones or head trauma which will take time to heal and could cause you to miss work.