Texas State Student Dies In Car Wreck (Left for dead by paramedics)

Source: KXAN NBC Austin

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As officials examine the events leading up to Smith's death, the paramedics who thought she had already died are still standing by their actions.

Early Sunday morning, San Antonio paramedics left Smith underneath a yellow tarp, untreated for two hours in the wreckage. Smith was presumed dead, since paramedics said they thought her heart had stopped.

It wasn't until an investigator for the medical examiner's office arrived at the scene that the startling discovery was made that she was still alive and able to breathe.

Smith went untreated for a couple of hours until paramedics were able to go back to the crash site to cut her out of the car.

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Read more: http://kxan.com/Global/story.asp?S=7513046

I don't know the circumstances - it could be that some totally awful factor was afoot (paramedics drunk or stoned or whatever)

But paramedics are among that group in society that is continutally sleep deprived. Continually emotionally battered because of their interacting constantly with emergency matters.

Prayers for the victim. But for these paramedics as well. You can bet that as sleep deprived as they are, they are sleeping even less right now.

if you havnt you should, its an awsome movie.

Did not know there was a whole movie.

Is it an indie film or a major studio?

Will get it over the holidays.

it had tom arnold in it and nicholas cage. they played paramedics in new york and it just went into the underside of humanity and how every life is precious, really a great movie that you should see once. Also a great sound track and emotional rollercoster. go look it up on IMDB.

:)

I live in San Antonio and the paper reported today that the young lady has died. What a tragic situation all the way around. Her car (carrying two other passengers) was hit by a drunk driver.

Although the facts are still coming to the surface, there have been reports that police officers on the scene told the attending paramedics that the young woman was still breathing. One police office (who was not named) said that one of the paramedics told him "she'll die in a minute".

I don't envy the paramedics their jobs either. I'm sure that they see such death and destruction that the rest of us could not even imagine. But this poor girl's family will forever wonder if she would have lived had she been treated promptly.

They stupidly IGNORED a critically injured patient for two hours. I don't care how tired or how appearently clever (she'll be dead in a minute) you think you are.Anyone who has ever carried even the most basic EMT ticket (Connecticut 86-243) is well aware of protocols and standards of care. And by the by-if they ARE dying, attending them may be the most important thing you can do. Those who can live top the list BUT ONLY IF EVERY PERSON ON SCENE is required to save that life.I helped several people die and saved the lives of one or two-but to ignore the dying is beyond the pale.

Said asshole proceeded to cover her up and leave her for dead.

...they checked and that circumstances made it impossible to administer any form of resuscitation. There were several others injured in this accident, so we can't fault paramedics for choosing to treat the ones they could save. Ms Smith's heart and respiration spontaneously restarted while they were occupied elsewhere. What of later arrivals to the scene? It takes a matter of seconds to check for a pulse. Any number of people could have checked during those two hours. Perhaps this will make for a change to procedures, to require periodic checks of vitals where practicable.

Fer crying out loud, people have been known to wake up on the slab.

We could also weave tales about paramedics being "encouraged" to perform "insurance triage", to go with suggestions of substance intoxication. But without evidence, no amount of speculation will make either true.

It makes me ill to see so many people attacking the paramedics, when it's obvious that they'd never knowingly leave someone to die like that. Geez folks, where is your common sense?

school I was left to start a code on a man after telling the a LVN assigned to him about his well described symptoms on a med surg unit. I was employed in this Florida pan handle hospital for the summer. I stayed with him and sent the male assistant for immediate help a few steps away. We moved him, as instructed,from the bathroom to his bed. As he reached the bed he fell back unresponsive, the LVN from the foot of his bed called him dead so matter of fact and without even checking for a pulse or breath. So I started CPR, told the male aide who was now back beside me to call a code on the phone pa system, which he did. Every one arrived and I left the room with others taking over more qualified than I. The patient died. The LVN was suspended. We found out later he died from a pulmonary embolism. That experience shook me up but good for a year. I still went on to be an RN, but left eventually as I kept running across too many cold hearted RN's, though most were very good nurses I would trust myself.


AS for the Texas paramedics I have no comments. Wasn't there.

Don't you think some changes are in order? I mean so far as checking the "supposedly" deceased? After reading this, I'm absolutely chilled. It's nuts not to do checks ON ALL YOUR VICTIMS until more extensive medical help arrives (evac choppers, etc.). I'm not trying to diss the EMT at all. My own Dad was a cop. I talked to him on the phone tonight and related this case to him. He agrees with me, BTW; they should have been checking her if they weren't sure she was dead, and it appears they didn't know for sure - they just guessed "she would be." Not good enough.

I can't imagine the pain this woman's family is going through. I also know EMTs do the best job possible in the time allotted. This just seems to be a really bad situation that hopefully will change procedures and standards. It's just awful. :-(

Dead person, family, friends, paramedics, their family, friends. At least they knew she was there, unlike the accident last wk where the second person in the car was totally missed and they had to go to the junkyard to check the car again.

My condolences to all.

The son had said no one was in the car with him, and she wasn't visible. Very sad. Human error, nothing more.