# Mother Sues EMT, County over Death (re: suction device)



## VentMedic (Oct 22, 2008)

http://www.emsresponder.com/article/article.jsp?id=8416&siteSection=1

*Nebraska Mother Sues EMT, County over Death*

*John Ferak, WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER*
Omaha World-Herald (Nebraska)



> Morris recently filed a wrongful death lawsuit alleging that emergency medical technician William Cover misused a suction device during the 911 call to Mattern's house, and that his actions resulted in the woman's death on Oct. 2, 2006.


 


> The lawsuit states that emergency room doctors at Midlands Hospital in Papillion discovered a 3- to 4-centimeter red cap lodged in Mattern's throat, blocking her airway, at the time of her death.
> 
> Cover is accused of failing to remove the red plastic cap from the V-Vac suction device, according to the lawsuit filed by Omaha attorney Christopher Welsh. The color helps remind rescue workers to take it off before use, he said.


 


> Lincoln lawyer Vince Valentino, who is defending Cass County and Cover, plans to argue that Mattern "was beyond being saved" at the time her mother made the 911 call.


 
http://www.emsresponder.com/article/article.jsp?id=8416&siteSection=1



> Valentino does not dispute the suction device malfunctioned in her mouth. However, that's a product liability matter, he said.





> He said he plans to ask the judge to dismiss the lawsuit because Nebraska law makes first responders and emergency personnel immune from civil liability unless they engage in gross negligence or willful and wanton conduct.


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## JPINFV (Oct 22, 2008)

I don't know if I should cringe or laugh. Product liability issue? The nincompoop didn't remove the cover. That's like saying that the manufacturer is at fault for a faulty product because some provider opened the covering to his yankauer just enough to connect it to a suction prior to using it.


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## stephenrb81 (Oct 22, 2008)

> Morris recently filed a wrongful death lawsuit alleging that emergency medical technician *William Cover* misused a suction device during the 911 call to Mattern's house, and that his actions resulted in the woman's death on Oct. 2, 2006.





> The lawsuit names Cover and Cass County as defendants. Cover is Cass County's longtime emergency management agency director.



Now that is a slap in the face for the agency....It wasn't a new or fresh emt being squimish, it was their *director*


> While a Murray emergency medical technician began compressions, Cover connected and hooked up an automated external defibrillator, a portable electronic device that allows the heart to re-establish an effective rhythm.
> 
> Once the defibrillator began working, crews used a bag valve mask to start breathing ventilation. After five minutes, Cover ceased ventilation and called for suction, the lawsuit stated.



From the sound of it, she was receiving CPR before any attempt at suctioning.  Doesn't excuse double-checking your equipment though


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## mikie (Oct 22, 2008)

What cap would've come off?  I've never seen any caps.  We pull each cath fresh from its sterile bag and plug it on in...


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## VentMedic (Oct 22, 2008)

http://www.progressivemed.com/estylez_item.aspx?item=14508


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## Onceamedic (Oct 22, 2008)

you'd think the emt would have noticed that the suction thingy wasn't getting the wet stuff out of the patient....


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## rhan101277 (Oct 22, 2008)

Ours are battery operated, I got to use one to suction peanut butter.  After I made a comment in class about if it could suction peanut butter.  It can suction the smooth peanut butter.  However the peanuts in standard peanut butter get stuck in the suction device.


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## mycrofft (Oct 22, 2008)

*VVacs..don't get me started.*

Ours have all failed and I'm not going to buy more. Hand op suction is a bad compromise, if you can afford an AED you can afford a portable Gomco.

There's a red cap which covers the end of the suctioning spout, about eight mm diameter and maybe four in height from the flat end to the opening.Bright red. Like maybe a red throat. Or your overexcited face, to make you forget to pull it off first.

Dang, Midlands Hospital in Papillion. Wife used to work there when it first opened.


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## Buzz (Oct 22, 2008)

Kaisu said:


> you'd think the emt would have noticed that the suction thingy wasn't getting the wet stuff out of the patient....



It probably could have, since the cap fell off h34r:


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