Personal Injury Law

Absolutely Stun-ning -- TASERS Reportedly Being Used in Hospitals

By Jamie G. Goldstein

A hospital security guard used a stun gun on Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas' nephew, Derek Thomas, after he refused to wear a gown and attempted to leave the grounds of West Jefferson Hospital in Marrero, Louisiana, according to his family.

The incident has shed light on the fact that tasers and stun guns, weapons known for their use on rioters, criminals, and let's not forget this guy, are now being used to subdue unruly patients in many hospitals.

The Washington Post now reports that Taser brand devices are being used or tested in 151 hospitals across the country. According to a Taser company spokesperson, tasers are an 'effective response…to halt violent situations.' However, what effect could the electrical shocks have on a hospital patient who may be in an already debilitated physical condition?

Tasers work by shooting 50,000 volts of electricity through barbed hooks that stick into a target's body. There have been a number of incidents of taser-related deaths. In 2008, Amnesty International reported that Taser shocks either caused or contributed to at least 50 deaths over a 7 year period and labeled them as 'potentially lethal and easy to abuse.'

Many of the deaths occurred in those who were stunned while intoxicated on drugs or had a pre-existing condition such as epilepsy – the very same people who are also likely to visit a hospital for medical treatment. Tasers can also cause the muscles of the body to lock up, causing the target to fall. This could result in broken bones, bruises, or cuts. A security guard who has no medical training or awareness of a patient's bodily condition or medical history should hardly be given the inordinate power to use a device that could potentially prove to be fatal.

Full post as published by Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer on July 21, 2010 (boomark / email).