Curious - Fire Brigade taking roof off vehicle

Careful_with_that_Axe

A question just occurred to me that I am somewhat curious about.

Scenario: you are involved in a RTC, have suspected spinal injuries and the Fire Brigade cut the roof off the car to extricate you.
You are later medically cleared of any spinal injuries.

Has anyone every been involved in this situation? I just wondered whether the insurance provider has ever tried to use the fact that there turned out not to be any injuries to deny or mark down a subsequent claim?

s_b

Insurance will pay out
its a case of what can the paramedics do if you say you are hurting
i sometimes think that some people use it to try and claim extra compo though
and the other side of the coin
small fire under bonnet,fire brigade came chopped half the vehicle up to put it out (thats what excuse they used) they ruined my truck as it was beyond repair afterwards so i have little respect for these boys these days

ps hows toto?

Careful_with_that_Axe

Thanks. The thought had crossed my mind that you could say you had neck pain when you didn't, but what would be the benefit of making the car a total loss?


ToTo is being held for ransom. Dorothy isn't playing ball so will receive one of his toes to convince her to pay up.

s_b

ahh poor toto ,hope the tin man doesnt hear this coz he will go rusty again

i sometimes think people do this to get rid of their perceived lemons to be honest:)

pitkin2020

As SB said the insurers will pay out whether or not you walk out of hostpital with no injury what so ever. If you complain of back/neck pain at the scene of a RTA the paramedics will put you on a spinal board and the fire brigade will cut you out....simples.

There have been cases (including a police car in the press LMAO) where people have been involved in a crash and got out of their own car fine. They have then been offered a seat in someone elses car to get over the shock. The paramedics turn up and the person complains of neck/back pain.....(can you see where this is going!!). The paramedics will then get the spinal board out and the fire brigade will cut the roof off a perfectly good car. The best one I read about was a police car. I suspect not many police will offer a seat after an RTA after that incident, it was a couple of years ago now though.

pitkin2020

here is a link to said story LOL
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/3445284/Firemen-cut-roof-off-police-car.html

Kilty_2

!!!!!! - if you have back/neck pain after an accident they'll cut the roof off to get you out even if the doors open?

pitkin2020

Kilty wrote: »

!!!!!! - if you have back/neck pain after an accident they'll cut the roof off to get you out even if the doors open?

Yes because if it is serious and they move you to get you out of a door you could end up paralysed. Over cautious it maybe but I would rather have my car in a million pieces than being paralysed.

Also if you come across an RTA and offer assistance do not offer anyone a seat in your car, if they have walked from the accident get them a blanket/coat/boot rug or whatever and offer them a seat at the side of the road!!

shaun_from_Africa

!!!!!! - if you have back/neck pain after an accident they'll cut the roof off to get you out even if the doors open?

If you have suspected back or spinal damage, the medics will have to fit a backboard before moving you. With the car roof on, this would be impossible to do, but with the roof off it would be a simple procedure to slide it between you and the seat.

It would wreck the car but buying a new one is easy enough. The same can't be said of your spine.

Kilty_2

Thanks to you both - I honestly didn't know that would be necessary.

You learn something new every day

bigjl

Removing the roof isn't the only way to facilitate extraction.

You can do a rapid extrication through the boot of a hatch or estate.

If you have the manpower you can get a patient extricated sideways using a KED(Kendrick Extrication Device) or RED(Russell Extrication Device), you would then slid the spinal board under the patient, then perform a tricky manuevere where you spin the patient round at the same time as lying them down, it isn't easy to explain that one on here, but it is rarely used these days. Mainly due to most Fire brigades being more familiar with the roof off job.

The spinal board would be slid down the back of the patient, then stabilised with two or more people, then the Brigade usually cut the back from the seat or if possible simply recline it, though it is easier to just cut it off.

However if it is time critical or the patient is about to suspend then you can treat "life takes precedence over limb", and get them out ASAP, you won't mishandle the patient but then the priority will be getting them out above all else, I have personally only done this once.


As far as the damage caused by cutting off the roof, I have been told that this may be considered a "consequential loss" when the car involved has only had minor damage but the occupants have played the "whiplash" card, my understanding is that if a car has been involved in an impact heavy enough to injure somebody seriously then it is badly damaged so there is no consequential loss as the car was totalled anyway.

Not sure if I have explained it that well, but that info came from a Traffic Copper, so he may be in a position to know better.

The decision to immobilise is done using mechanism of injury more than a report of pain in the back/neck, however both are considered, you would never ignore reported pain, but it is entirerly possible to break your back or neck and have little if any pain, especially when the patient is full of adrenalin.

The official training we had was to consider immobilising all occupants of a car when there is a fatality in that car.

But with the advent of No Win No Fee everybody now has "too much pain" and 99% of immobilisations are performed purely as a precaution.


The Met Police now don't let people involved in an RTC sit in their cars.....................all I am saying is that the car involved was less than a month old, no it wasn't me and yes I have seen the pictures.