Specialties & Diseases > Emergency Medicine

Medical emergency mistaken for drunk driving results in $13 million verdict

By Claire Wolters | Fact-checked by Davi Sherman

Published February 19, 2025

Key Takeaways

Industry Buzz

“If someone experiences a stroke and responders fail to recognize it, leading to delayed treatment, patients could face significant health ramifications including but not limited to death or severe disability.” — Jossef Amirian, MD, FACC, FASE, CBNC, RPVI

A New Jersey woman was awarded about $13 million in damages following a lawsuit against New Jersey State Police, state officials, and a state trooper, who her lawyers allege negligently and wrongfully arrested her in 2017.^[] The jury initially awarded her $19.1 million in damages, but the final judgment was reduced to approximately $12.9 million.

Here’s what happened

The woman suffered a stroke while driving in 2017 and was pulled over and arrested by a state trooper. The trooper reportedly ignored the woman’s signs of medical distress and brought her to a police station in handcuffs rather than a hospital.

At the police station, another person took notice of the woman’s symptoms and called emergency medical services (EMS). According to the lawsuit, the woman’s eventual hospital care was delayed over 2 hours by officers’ negligence and their decision to wrongfully arrest her. Despite eventually receiving care, the woman suffered brain damage and permanent disability from the stroke.

Should law enforcement receive EMS training?

The situation sheds light on the importance of correctly identifying stroke symptoms and quickly transporting people to care.

“If someone experiences a stroke and responders fail to recognize it, leading to delayed treatment, patients could face significant health ramifications including but not limited to death or severe disability,” says Jossef Amirian, MD, FACC, FASE, CBNC, RPVI, a board-certified cardiologist who works at Manhattan Cardiology in New York.

In situations like this, police officers are often the first responders and could potentially be the difference between life and death. Basic knowledge of medical conditions, like strokes, could help officers identify and respond more appropriately, reducing the risk of misjudging a medical emergency as intoxication. Given that these situations are time-sensitive and can escalate quickly, providing police with essential EMS training could save lives and prevent unnecessary harm or trauma to individuals in distress.

Early assessment and response

In cases where stroke is suspected, Dr. Amirian suggests, medical professionals and first responders should “rush to the patient” to assess their airway, breathing, circulation, and vital signs, and then perform a head-to-toe physical examination and neurological assessment to check for potential injuries to the body and brain. While performing the assessments, healthcare workers should be mindful of any “chief complaint” voiced by the patient, as well as their medical history, he says.

While waiting, Dr. Amirian says, any passengers or bystanders should do their part to monitor the person experiencing the stroke and be prepared to offer cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) if necessary. “Every second matters if a stroke is suspected,” Dr. Amirian says.