A subway worker in the Northeast was lucky to have a trained paramedic as a co-worker when he fell into a pit and struck his head. The man’s co-worker is a subway car inspector and subway electrician who also happens to moonlight as a volunteer EMT.
The incident happened in early November. The injured subway worker was repairing a train when he fell 15 feet into a special pit that allows workers to access the undercarriages of trains. According to a co-worker, he was bleeding profusely from his nose, mouth, eyes and ears, and he appeared dead. That’s when the volunteer emergency medical technician co-worker went into action.
The EMT jumped into the 15-foot pit, applied pressure to his co-worker’s wounds and stabilized his neck. He then assisted in attaching the man to a lift, which pulled him out of the pit, and he rode with him in the ambulance all the way to the hospital. The man received 20 stitches at the hospital and was expected to recover.
The EMT, who also leads the train repair shop’s emergency response team, has been commended for his exemplary service. According to a co-worker, everyone was stressed, but the volunteer EMT stayed calm and collected while he tended to his colleague’s wounds.
Although the subway repairman was seriously hurt, he will likely be able to get financial help to pay for his medical bills by filing a workers’ compensation claim. He may also receive compensation for time spent unable to work while recuperating from his injuries. While it is not necessary to retain an attorney in order to successfully apply for workers’ compensation benefits, in some cases, professional help can be useful in getting an injured worker the maximum benefits that he or she is eligible for. Legal assistance can also help in cases of denied workers’ compensation claims.
Source: New York Daily News, “MTA inspector helps bleeding co-worker who injured his head after falling 15 feet” Pete Donohue, Nov. 10, 2014