Queensland Ambulance Service sued after patient strapped to gurney crashes over on driveway
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Patient strapped to a stretcher falls over in his driveway while being transported by a single paramedic – as man charges the incident
- Mackay man Clinton McLachlan seriously injured his shoulder in an ambo accident
- A QAS paramedic tried to load him into an ambulance but lost control
- Mr McLachlan was strapped to a stretcher when he overturned on a steep driveway
A painter who was seriously injured when the stretcher he was strapped to overturned, causing him to fall to the floor, is suing the ambos.
Clinton McLachlan was taken to hospital in Mackay, Queensland with severe Covid-19 symptoms, when a paramedic lost control of the wheel on a steep driveway.
Video of the incident shows a paramedic from the Queensland Ambulance Service preparing to slide the recumbent Mr McLachlan into the back of his vehicle.
But he manages to turn the stretcher over, causing Mr. McLachlan to crash into the concrete driveway.
A painter seriously injured when the stretcher he was strapped to tipped over and knocked him to the ground sues the ambos
Mr McLachlan, 44, suffered a badly injured shoulder and will be out of work for months.
The shocked paramedic rushes to help the stricken patient, while another woman runs down the stairs above.
“Our client ran a successful business with his brother and thoroughly enjoyed the work he did,” said Christine Smith of Shine Lawyers Mackay.
“As a result of this incident, he is now unable to contribute as much and his family’s financial security has been significantly affected.”
Mr McLachlan, 44, suffered a badly injured shoulder and will be out of work for months.
The Queensland Ambulance Service expressed its ‘regret’ over the incident in a statement to the Daily Mail Australia.
“Our thoughts and best wishes are with the patient and his family. We sincerely regret any suffering or injuries suffered by the patient,” the statement said.
“It would be inappropriate to comment on this incident while legal action is being taken.”
Mr McLachlan claimed it was “ridiculous” that a solo paramedic tried to move him single-handedly up the steep driveway, the courier post reported.
“It was a big impact and my shoulder is quite full,” said Mr. McLachlan.
The Queensland Ambulance Service expressed its ‘regret’ over the incident and sent its best wishes to Mr McLachlan
“Clinton has made it clear that he has no ill will towards the paramedic himself, but this incident highlights the need for better resources and a stricter work system to ensure it doesn’t happen again,” Ms Smith said.
“We hope that by raising awareness of this incident, we can ensure that proper safety practices are in place to prevent this from happening to another patient.”
The use of a single paramedic is not considered unusual, Daily Mail Australia understands.