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Ketamine overdose and airway-failure wrongful-death case involving EMS and Intermountain

This complaint states as follows: The patient, age 19, suffered a fatal anoxic brain injury due to the negligence of EMS providers. After a vehicular collision, the EMS providers injected the patient with over 16 times the maximum dose of ketamine, causing her to go into respiratory arrest. The EMS providers on the scene were unable to provide ventilation for 7-9 minutes. The patient suffered a fatal brain injury because she was deprived of oxygen for so long. Later, the hospital concealed the true cause of the patient's death — the errors committed by the EMS providers.

System
Intermountain Health Care
Facility
EMS response and later hospital care; specific hospital not identified in current summary
Providers involved
Intermountain Health Care, Inc. / EMS providers / Hospital
Pattern
Vehicular-collision EMS response followed by ketamine overdose, respiratory arrest, failed ventilation, and later concealment allegation
Harm
Fatal anoxic brain injury and death

Overview

This page concerns an EMS response after a vehicular collision in which ketamine allegedly was given at more than 16 times the maximum dose, the patient went into respiratory arrest, scene providers could not ventilate her for 7 to 9 minutes, and a later hospital-concealment allegation was added to the airway-failure claim.

Chronology

  1. After a vehicular collision, EMS providers treated the patient, age 19.
  2. The EMS providers allegedly injected the patient with over 16 times the maximum dose of ketamine, causing respiratory arrest.
  3. Providers on the scene were unable to provide ventilation for 7 to 9 minutes.
  4. The patient suffered a fatal anoxic brain injury from prolonged oxygen deprivation, and the summary further alleges that the hospital later concealed the true cause of death.

Alleged failures

  • EMS providers allegedly administered over 16 times the maximum dose of ketamine.
  • Scene providers allegedly were unable to ventilate the patient for 7 to 9 minutes after she went into respiratory arrest.
  • The hospital allegedly concealed the true cause of the patient’s death by concealing the EMS errors.

Entities and tags

Intermountain Health Care, Inc.EMS providersKetamineRespiratory arrestVentilationAnoxic brain injuryMedication overdoseAirway failureConcealment allegationEmergency medical servicesEmergency medicineCritical care

Questions this example answers

What does the Intermountain ketamine overdose airway failure allege?

This complaint states as follows: The patient, age 19, suffered a fatal anoxic brain injury due to the negligence of EMS providers. After a vehicular collision, the EMS providers injected the patient with over 16 times the maximum dose of ketamine, causing her to go into respiratory arrest. The EMS providers on the scene were unable to provide ventilation for 7-9 minutes. The patient suffered a fatal brain injury because she was deprived of oxygen for so long. Later, the hospital concealed the true cause of the patient's death — the errors committed by the EMS providers.

Who is identified in this public case example?

This public case example identifies Intermountain Health Care, Inc., EMS providers, and Hospital. It also tags the source-supported entities Intermountain Health Care, Inc., EMS providers, Ketamine, Respiratory arrest, and Ventilation.

What alleged failures are summarized here?

EMS providers allegedly administered over 16 times the maximum dose of ketamine. Scene providers allegedly were unable to ventilate the patient for 7 to 9 minutes after she went into respiratory arrest. The hospital allegedly concealed the true cause of the patient’s death by concealing the EMS errors.