High court: Ambulance drivers do not have immunity during nonemergency travel

By Sarah Mansur smansur@lawbulletinmedia.com

Posted June 23, 2020 12:10 PM

State law does not grant blanket immunity to a paramedic driving an ambulance on a nonemergency trip, the Illinois Supreme Court ruled last week.In a narrow win for the plaintiff’s bar, the 4-3 majority held the immunity provision of the Emergency Medical Services Systems Act does not automatically apply in situations where the driver is en route with a nonemergency transport and when there is no willful or wanton misconduct.Justice Michael J. Burke authored the 13-page opinion.The 17-page dissent, authored by Justice P …

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