Malpractice Insurance

[MikeJ]

What do you think of malpractice insurance? If you carry it, do you recommend your insurance company?

As a student EMT here in NY, insurance was required before we could do our required ride-along. It's just expired, and I'm thinking of getting a regular policy now that I have graduated.

On a related note... any thoughts on additional automobile insurance for those who drive the rig? (I serve as both a medic and driver on a local volunteer squad).

[Just Plain Ruff]

Malpractice insurance - depends on how much is paid out and how much you pay in. Remember, in a lawsuit those with deeper pockets are going to be the ones who get hit with the suit. If you have a policy for 3 million dollars and your companies policy only covers you for 1/2 mil then who are they gonna go after.

Second - car insurance - do not get extra insurance for yourself in response to you driving the rig. Your employer has all the insurance you need. Again deeper pockets.

If you get in a wreck in the ambulance or rig, and your company only pays out this much then you might be responsible for the other. Plus and a huge plus too you get in a wreck and your insurance company has to pay out any amount and you will be dropped like a hot potato and you will find it damn near impossible to get insurance for your car again.

So malpractice insurance - slightly good

Extra auto insurance BAD BAD BAD

[Dustdevil]

I have to agree. Malpractice insurance doesn't keep you from losing a lawsuit. It just gives the winners a bigger reward. Consequently, it tends to encourage people to sue you personally. Let your employer bear that burden.

Calculate what you would spend on insurance and instead invest it into higher education. Education is your best insurance against malpractice.

[akflightmedic]

Personally, I wouldn't recommend wasting the money on insurance. This is one of the few times I will ever say insurance is bad. My reasoning for this as already mentioned by others is the deep pocket syndrome. In previous threads, I talked about how I was named and then dropped in a lawsuit. Why do you think I was dropped? I was dropped because there was nothing to gain except ruining my career.(for the record, this was a frivilous lawsuit) They examined my past and found out that I was living in a rental house with high credit card debt and no assets. There was nothing for them to gain. Now if they had found a huge insurance policy that I carried and paid for every month, do you think they would have dropped me from the suit? Hell no, they would have went for the jugular.

[fanbuffett]

as far as you getting insurance you are just paying for the school to be protected. it is a pretty standard thing since most schools are on such a tight budget

[EMTuKnowMe]

Respectfully, I disagree with those who say that malpractice insurance is not a wise decision. For the most part, your job, your municipality, or whomever you are working for, will cover you AS LONG AS YOU STAY WITHIN PROTOCOL. If you are found to have deviated in the slightest bit from protocol, then you are not covered. Now, it is easy to say that you will always follow protocol, but, whether your action was or was not within the boundaries of protocol may not be up to you. Rather, it may be the subject of a court finding itself. We are all human... if you think that you are beyond making any errors or omissions, however innocent, on a call sheet, then dont get any insurance at all. If you are not a robot, then get insurance that will cover you if you are found to have gone outside of protocol. You might want to check out www.ashinstitute.com/ or others out there like http://www.hpso.com/ for a quote. The prices are not exorbitant. The danger in not obtaining insurance is that a judgment can be entered against you, which will in fact destroy your credit rating and make things like buying or selling a house for you really difficult.

The same type of coverage will protect you while you are driving the bus too.

The premiums are a small price to pay for comfort. And I dont wish for anyone reading this to make a mistake, but certainly it is something that is possible for ALL of us to do. If such a mistake leads to an injury, and having insurance enables that injured person to get back towards what he/she was before the injury, then how can the insurance be a bad thing?

[Ridryder 911]

I too agree, I used to believe they would go for the "big money" i.e medical control, company. But, now the trend is to sue the medics personally, if they did not follow the protocol exactly. As well, if you believe your employers attorneys will represent you or be on your side.. you are a fool. even if you were in the right, they are only representing the firm or company. If their is any chance of plea or settlement, you will have to take the blunt force as well.

Ever hire an attorney ?... hmm usual costs is about $ `0,000 starting out for malpractice. Think you can afford it..? Again, don;t bank the company being for you.. every time I have seen the company drop the medic like a "hot potato".. even if they were in the right.

I bought million dollar coverage for just over $130 yr... even though Paramedics is one of the higher end risks, I believe it is worth it. If not for just the attorney coverage, I least I will be able to afford one, if it ever occurs ( God forbid) .. it is a scary thing to think about.

Good luck,

R/R 911

[akflightmedic]

Which brings me to question the statement that two of you have made, "following protocol".

The last 3 services I have worked for do not have "protocols", we had GUIDELINES. In the front page of the guidelines. there is the statement signed by the MD and the county that stated as a paramedic we may deviate or provide treatment different from the ones listed or change order of said treatment provided that we can reasonablly justify our treatment with supportive documentation if such occassion should arise later. inda leaves the door wide open for interpretation, I think.

We are never held to strict protocols as that would mean we were strictly coookbook medics. Now granted there are not many situations where you need to deviate from the "standard" treatments, however it was nice knowing we had that option and the support of our MD and county if we chose to do so.

As for the insurance costs, yes it is afforadable and it is even tax deductible. If it makes you feel better, go for it. Personally, not having it kept me from being in a lawsuit. I would like to see statistics that show how many medics are sued annually and how many of those have insurance. Not saying it doesnt happen, but we certainly dont hear about it very often. Usually it is a quiet settlement with medic's employer and it never makes the headlines.

[EMTuKnowMe]

Thought this might be interesting reading.....

http://www.merginet.com/admin_management/l...gligentPCRs.cfm

[Ridryder 911]

I agree Akand I used to have the opinion of not wanting insurance because I would not be a target. The protocols, guidelines etc. or even your state license or certification merit will be brought in on the suit. Again, I used to have the apathetic attitude, of not worrying about until I worked with some attorneys, & asked them about it. They describe, they would sue the individuals, (EMT's) even if they had no money, because the principle of the matter as well as being addressed as the individual. Of course you can not get blood from a turnip. but to ruin your career and go bankrupt on attorneys fee as well as ruin my family's life even if was found innocent, is shameful.

Funny in comparison with nursing, most nurses carry malpractice insurance. Ironic, that they have a lower fee. I discussed with the insurance company, and they informed me that it was because Paramedics has more autonomy and the suits has increased in the past 5 years. As well, as now some suits are suing the individual medics without suing the physician or even the company.

Be safe,

R/R 911