San Jose Ambulance Accident Attorneys
Ambulance Accidents
After people have been seriously injured, people nearby will usually call 911 for emergency response services. Once EMTs have been dispatched, their job is to get to the injured people as soon as possible. They must then examine injured parties and if additional medical treatment is required, their job is to get injured parties to the closest hospital quickly. This means that ambulance drivers will have to carefully navigate through traffic and sometimes drive above posted speed limits.
Due to the fact that ambulance drivers must race to get injured people to hospitals and are ultimately responsible for saving people's lives, they are required to follow what is called Emergency Driving (Code III). When you think about it, ambulance drivers partake in driving behaviors (i.e. speeding and driving against traffic lights) that are generally considered negligent. These very behaviors can lead to ambulance accidents as the majority of accidents are caused by human error and recklessness. For this reason, ambulance drivers must adhere to the Code, which was created to reduce accidents. Under the Emergency Driving Code, ambulance drivers must:
- have an EMT determine the status of the injured person and whether or not additional ambulances or emergency services are needed
- not drive more than 10 mph above posted speed limits
- not drive above posted speed limits when driving through intersections or green lights
- come to a complete stop at red lights, stop signs and railroad crossing before driving forward
- drive at a maximum speed of 20 mph when they enter oncoming traffic lanes
If ambulance drivers fail to adhere to these guidelines and they cause an accident, they may be held liable for any injuries, property damage or suffering endured by involved parties. For this reason, people who have been injured during ambulance accidents should always discuss their cases with a qualified ambulance accident attorney, like an attorney at Wallin & Sauer.
San Jose Ambulance Accident Lawyers
Have you been injured during an ambulance accident in San Jose? If so, contact the Law Offices of Wallin & Sauer to discuss your case today!