Two vehicles collided injuring five people three of which were airlifted to the University of Kansas Hospital with severe injuries. According to police at the scene, the crash happened around 7:15 a.m. on US 421 South in front of the Dairy Queen.
It’s unclear what caused the crash which is still under investigation. The three that were airlifted had serious injuries but were not deemed life-threatening. EMS at the scene determined that by airlifting them, they had a better chance of a full long-term recovery.
Multiple Injury Crashes
In many accidents, there are multiple people injured, and when this happens, EMS has to make quick and potentially life-saving decisions based on the circumstances at the scene. First responders are trained multiple casualty incidences and quickly have to assess each patient based on their immediate needs.
Red Tag
If a patient is “red tagged” it means the he or she must be transported to the hospital immediately and their transportation takes precedence over others. If the patient fits one of the following criteria, then the patient is red tagged:
- Respiratory rate is less than 30 beats per minute.
- Radial pulse is absent (ulnar pulse taken below the wrist), or capillary refill less than two seconds.
- Patient is unable to follow simple commands.
If any one of these is present, then the patient is scored high enough for a red tag.
Yellow Tag
A “yellow tag” means that the patient is seriously injured but is able to survive and their transportation to hospital can be delayed if there are red tagged patients who take precedence. A patient is yellow tagged if:
- They can’t walk.
- They are perfusing adequately (blood flow through vessels and exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide is sufficient).
- Can obey simple commands.
Green Tag
Green patients are injured but their treatment and transportation is low priority. These include people who have good vital signs and have injuries like minor fractures, cuts, contusions and other non life-threatening injuries.
EMS at the scene will score patients based on these criteria, and if there are a significant amount of injured with limited resources, then these classifications will be used to determine which patients are transported first and whether an air ambulance is needed. These can also be used to determine which patients will go to hospitals farther away.
Do I Need and Attorney?
If you’ve been injured in an auto accident and have suffered significant or serious injuries, you might need an attorney to make sure you get the compensation allowed under the law. Not all injuries warrant an attorney, but it is smart to at least talk to an attorney before you talk to a representative of the insurance company.
Call the attorneys at Kaufman & Stigger, PLLC, for a free consultation to and a case evaluation. Then if you decide to hire an attorney, they have experienced and skilled attorney who will stand with you and get you the compensation you deserve.
When you call Kaufman & Stigger, PLLC, at 800 937-8443, you will immediately speak to a member of the legal team and not a message machine. You can also Live Chat with an expert who can immediately began helping you with your claim.
