Elderly, disabled, and seriously ill people often require special non-emergency medical transport (NEMT) vehicles to get them to and from their healthcare appointments. However, the conditions that necessitate these special considerations also mean that these patients are at greater risk of injury, not only in traffic accidents but also in any accidents that occur while they’re being transferred into or out of the NEMT vehicle. We have some of the best non-emergency medical transport lawyers in Atlanta
If you were injured while riding as a passenger in a NEMT that was involved in an accident, you might have legal options for recovering compensation. Reach out to non-emergency medical transport attorneys at the Butler Kahn for a free initial case evaluation and to discuss your rights with an experienced Atlanta non-emergency medical transport accident lawyer.
Are Atlanta NEMT Negligence Cases Complex?
Pursuing a negligence claim against a medical transport company for a NEMT accident can be a complex process. NEMT accident cases are different from regular motor vehicle accidents, but they are also not quite medical malpractice claims either. Further complicating matters, medical transport companies are subject to regulations under Georgia law that can affect the success of a negligence claim. Complicated aspects of these claims include:
- A medical transport company’s duty to patients under case law as well as the statutes and regulations in state law that regulate the industry
- The nature of the relationship between medical transport companies and the entities that broker or contract for their services, including hospitals, nursing homes, assisted living facilities, home health services providers, and state or local government agencies that work with disabled or elderly individuals
- The overall health and the specific medical issues of the patient injured in the accident
What Is the Difference between a NEMT Accident Versus an Auto Accident?
NEMT vehicles are different from ordinary passenger vehicles in two major ways:
- Patients requiring non-emergency medical transport likely have medical conditions that make travel more difficult or dangerous. Because of this, NEMT drivers need to exercise additional caution so as not to make any sudden or abrupt maneuvers that may jostle or strain their passengers.
- Medical transport vehicles are much more complex than standard passenger vehicles. For example, medical transports are usually designed to accommodate someone on a stretcher or wheelchair, which must be fastened into place.
As a result, even if another motorist is at fault for causing a collision with a NEMT, the transport driver or company may still bear some liability for the patient’s injuries if they acted in a way that put the patient at risk, such as by engaging in sharp turning maneuvers or failing to secure the patient’s wheelchair or gurney. We have some of the best personal injury lawyers in Atlanta.
What Types of Services Do Medical Transports Provide in Atlanta?
Non-emergency medical transports are a vital part of healthcare infrastructure. They are particularly useful for patients who need extra care and attention but not the added cost or urgency of an ambulance. They are particularly useful for:
- Elderly patients with mobility issues
- Patients with ambulatory disabilities
- Patients confined to stretchers
- Bed-ridden patients
- Those in need of curb-to-curb care
Medical transports help patients get to and from regularly scheduled doctor’s visits, imaging scans, x-ray visits, urgent care, physical therapy, rehabilitation, and other medical appointments.
Types of Medical Transport Accidents in Atlanta
A medical transport provider is expected to ensure that their patients make it safely from their home to their medical appointment or from one healthcare facility to another. Unfortunately, these providers and their employees are often negligent in this responsibility, which can further injure the patients in their care. This can happen when:
- The transport driver causes a motor vehicle accident that injures a patient riding in the vehicle.
- The transport driver negligently operates a chair lift, causing the patient to fall off the lift or be injured by the lift’s moving parts.
- The transport driver or another employee fails to secure a patient’s wheelchair, causing the patient to be tossed around while the transport is moving.
- A transport company employee injures a patient when transferring them from a bed or gurney to the transport vehicle, including when moving them in and out of a wheelchair.
- The transport company abandons or neglects a patient, such as by leaving them outside in bad weather or at nighttime, or leaving before they are safely returned to their home or caregiver.
How Can an Atlanta Non-Emergency Medical Transport Accident Lawyer Help?
If you have been injured while riding in a non-emergency medical transport, the NEMT accident attorneys of Butler Kahn can help you pursue compensation and justice by:
- Investigating the accident and obtaining evidence we can use to show who caused the crash and bears fault for the injuries you or a loved one have suffered
- Gathering your medical records, bills, and invoices to calculate the damage in your case
- Identifying liable parties, including various corporate entities, and applicable insurance coverages or other sources of compensation
- Discussing your needs and goals for your case and explain what you can expect at each stage of the claims process
- Filing your claims with the at-fault parties and insurance companies and demanding full financial recovery during settlement negotiations
- Pursuing your claim in court if litigation is the best path towards getting the outcome you need
Accidents involving NEMTs can be complicated. They often involve multiple at-fault parties, several insurance companies, and teams of corporate lawyers. You need a personal injury attorney who’s not afraid to take on these powerful adversaries and fight for the justice you deserve. Atlanta non-emergency medical transport lawyers.
To learn more about how an Atlanta non-emergency medical transport accident lawyer can help you recover compensation for injuries you suffered in a crash or other accident, contact Butler Kahn today. We offer free initial consultations and work on a contingency fee basis, which means we won’t get paid unless and until we secure compensation on your behalf.
