A patient has been treated by paramedics for a sprained wrist. En route to the hospital, she suffers a stroke. What is the likely outcome of a negligence lawsuit brought by the patient?
A) The suit would succeed because this was a foreseeable event.
B) The suit would fail because the plaintiff could not demonstrate that the paramedics' actions were the proximate cause of the stroke.
C) The suit would succeed because the paramedics had a duty to act and the patient suffered actual damages.
D) The suit would fail because the plaintiff failed to demonstrate malice on the part of the plaintiffs.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

In order to successfully prove negligence, the plaintiff must establish four elements: duty, breach of duty, causation, and damages. While the paramedics had a duty to treat the sprained wrist, it is unlikely that this duty extended to preventing a stroke, as it was not a foreseeable complication of the initial injury. Therefore, the plaintiff would likely fail to prove causation, and the lawsuit would not succeed.

A Patient Has Been Treated by Paramedics for a Sprained