EMT Sues Firefighter/Apparatus Operator in Secondary Incidnet Engine vs. Ambulance
Comentary-Chief Billy Goldfeder A former EMT is suing a Pennsylvania Firefighter/Apparatus Driver, the Fire Company and the Township Supervisors for damages that occurred at a crash scene on an icy day 2 years ago. While there are many "lessons learned" in this case, once again, a responding apparatus is involved-and this time, another Firefighter and his Department is being named in a lawsuit. We have more on our home page to remind ALL of us just how serious apparatus training and related operations must be treated. NO FIREFIGHTER wants to hurt anyone or for this to happen-and NO FIREFIGHTER OR CHIEF EVER wants to be named in this type of lawsuit, ever. Do whatever it takes to prevent something* *similar.
In this case, on the morning of Dec. 27, 2007, weather contributed to a series of crashes. The crash (in the suit) sent 7 people, including 5 emergency responders, to the hospital for treatment.
Vicki Levadnuk, who worked for Conemaugh Township EMS at the time (but no longer), and was one of the responders who was injured. She and her husband, David Levadnuk, have sued for damages.
On the initial crash, the EMS crew arrived on scene. Levadnuk and her partner were part of the crew. A few minutes later, responding fire apparatus driven by Charles D. Saylor of the Hollsopple Volunteer Fire Company traveling 15 mph (according to previous reports) slid into the ambulance, injuring the crew and several Firefighters on the apparatus.
"They hit the bridge and it was a solid sheet of ice. They tried to slow down but couldn't and they struck the rear end of the ambulance," Hollsopple Fire Chief David Boyer stated to the media. The driver even tried steering the truck into the concrete wall of the bridge in an attempt to stop, he added.
In the lawsuit, their Attorney wrote that Saylor was warned of the frozen and icy condition of the bridge and told not to venture onto it and that the warning was ignored. As a result of "the negligence, carelessness and recklessness of all defendants," Ms. Levadnuk sustained several injuries, "some or all of which may be permanent in nature." She suffered fractured ribs, compression injuries of the left leg and knee cap and an inflamed and infected left knee cap and suffers from "great pain, inconvenience, embarrassment, mental anguish and emotional and psychological trauma. She is asking for compensatory, punitive and compulsory damages and court costs from the initial drivers who caused the 1st crash and then the township, fire company and Saylor from the secondary crash. Her husband is asking for compulsory damages and court costs from all of the defendants for the inability to have normal marital relations.
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