Kansas City's Medical Transportation Accident Lawyer

There are many different reasons an individual might need assistance with transportation to medical appointments. These issues can range from immobility to financial burden, but all require that the individual in need of assistance with transportation be provided a safe and secure way to reach their medical appointment.

Everyone has individualized needs that may need to be taken into consideration to ensure their non emergency medical transportation needs are met. Some common types of non-emergency medical transportation are:

• Ambulatory Transportation – This is for individuals who require minimal physical assistance with their transportation. It can include vision problems, cognitive impairment, medication restrictions, financial burdens and more.
• Wheelchair Transportation – Assisting individuals with wheelchairs requires special equipment, like lifts and ramps, as well as skills in operating and overseeing the use of the equipment to accommodate the needs of the rider.
• Stretcher Transportation – Transportation with a stretcher requires larger vehicles with specialized equipment that can accommodate a stretcher. These vehicles usually have a team of at least 2 people to support the transportation of the patient.
• Bariatric Transportation – Assisting patients with obesity or those needing extra space requires larger and specially designed equipment.
• Pediatric Transportation – Transportation for children has specialized requirements including booster seats, car seats, child safety belts and more.

Each of the aforementioned groups of transportation require their own set of unique skills, vehicle or equipment requirements and training to ensure that the transportation company can fulfill their common carrier duties requiring the highest level of care for the individuals being transported. When issues arise, automobile accidents can occur, causing catastrophic effects to the patient being transported.

Causes of Non Emergency Medical Transport Accidents

Non-emergency medical transportation injuries can happen for a variety of reasons.
Some common examples include:

• Inadequate Training – Medical transportation drivers should be trained in how to properly handle patients and how to operate the vehicle. Lack of proper training in these areas can lead to damage or injuries to the individual being transported.
• Patient Handling – Assisting you in and out of the vehicle, properly securing you and getting you safely to your medical appointment is the responsibility of the transportation company. If proper procedures are not followed, injuries could occur.
• Vehicle Maintenance – Maintaining a safe vehicle is the responsibility of the transportation company. Failure to stay up to date on vehicle maintenance could result in malfunctions related to brakes, tires or even the engine. These malfunctions could result in an accident, injuring the person being transported.
• Driver Error – Driver error is one of the most common causes of injury to individuals being transported. There are many reasons a driver may drive dangerously, most commonly these include speeding or reckless driving, operating a vehicle while overly tired or engaging in distractions like a phone or food while driving.

Determining who is responsible in an accident involving non-emegency medical transportation is often more complex than a traditional automobile accident. Assessing liability and determining fault should be handled by an attorney with experience and understanding of the complexities of medical transportation and the effects it can have on the patients who rely on it. The attorneys at Preuss | Foster law have a long history of holding transportation companies accountable for their actions, especially when their negligence impacts individuals quality of life.

Providers of Non-Emergency Medical Transportation

There are many different service providers who can transport you to your medical appointments. They will have different levels of care and assistance provided.

Some providers of non-emergency medical transportation include:

• Specialized Non-Emergency Medical Transportation Companies – These companies ensure their drivers are properly trained in assisting their passengers (including the use of assistive technologies like wheelchairs or stretchers). and have a properly maintained and safe vehicle for transporting individuals.
• Facility Transportation – Some medical facilities offer their own transportation for patients to use. For example, a skilled nursing facility might have a bus or van that is capable of transporting their patients to off-site medical appointments. The maintenance of the vehicle and training of the driver is the responsibility of the facility it belongs to.
• Uber Health / Lyft Healthcare – Some healthcare organizations rely on Uber and Lyft to provide non-emergency medical transportation for their patients. These services provide a technology platform that makes booking transportation available on your phone. The tradeoff to this convenience could be that the driver does not have the training that companies who specialize in non-emergency medical transportation may have. This training is vital in ensuring that the driver has the know-how to help you in and out of the vehicle and is able to assist with any wheelchair or other assistive devices you may use. Vehicle maintenance is usually the responsibility of the driver, who may not stay up to date on the necessary maintenance of the vehicle used for non-emergency medical transportation.

Each transportation provider requires a unique approach to handling litigation directed at them. After an accident, you should be focused on getting better, not navigating the complexities of legal liability related to the negligence of a non-emergency medical transportation company. That is where we come in. We can handle all of the legal aspects of assisting in getting your life back to normal, including holding those responsible for your injuries accountable for their actions.

How Can a Non-Emergency Medical Transportation Accident Attorney Help

If you or a loved one was injured in a non-emergency medical transport accident, seeking out qualified and competent legal representation is crucial. You should consider consulting with an attorney if you or a loved one has been in an automobile accident and experienced:

• Serious Injuries or Death
• Additional Medical Expenses
• Lost Wages
• Insurance Disputes
• Long Term Effects

Holding the proper parties accountable for their negligent actions can oftentimes be the only recourse available to you. While this might not “make everything better”, it will make the individuals or companies responsible for your injury or damages aware that their negligence is resulting in injuries to patients, hopefully causing them to reexamine their policies and procedures to prevent future damages and injuries due to their negligent transportation.

With decades of experience fighting for injured individuals, the attorneys at Preuss | Foster Law have built a reputation as zealous advocates with a heart full of compassion for their clients. The experience and knowledge gained through the years puts our attorneys in a unique position to go up against the largest corporations with hundreds of attorneys and nearly limitless resources. This combination of experience and expertise is usually only found in the largest law firms in the world, where clients are faceless case numbers. We take a different approach. Our attorneys take on a smaller caseload, allowing them to have one-on-one interaction with our clients, giving them the individualized attention their case deserves. This close working relationship will help you feel confident knowing that your case and concerns will be heard by your attorney directly. We find this personalized approach allows us to be better informed about our clients’ cases by asking questions and having conversations instead of relying solely on paperwork inside of a folder, like larger firms do.

Contact A Kansas City Non-Emergency Medical Transportation Accident Attorney Today

If you or a loved one has been injured in a non-emergency medical transportation accident, you should act now to determine whether your injuries were due to the negligence of the transportation provider, in which case you may be owed compensation for damages you have suffered. The non-emergency medical transportation accident attorneys at Preuss | Foster Law have the legal experience and dedication to help you pursue any damages you may have suffered. If you were injured or are experiencing effects related to a medical transportation accident, call us at (816) 307-2788 for a no-fee consultation, to discuss the details of your case in confidence.