I never had any idea that trauma was contagious. I met a family in an intersection today that proved that just because you aren't hurt doesn't mean you don't get to go to the hospital.
THE EMERGENCY
A young boy was rubbed by a vehicle's mirror as it pulled from a stop.
THE ACTION
The boy is fine, simply nudged, but then it gets good. The aunt walking with him attempted to effect a rescue by yanking the 12 year old by the arm. As she did, the boy's head struck her in the face. She wasn't hurt, but there was no telling her that. As the rest of the extended family begins to arrive at the scene, the drama sets in and the local police is overwhelmed. We arrive to the boy doing fine, the Aunt forgot she was hurt and Grandma is just watching, for now.
Out of nowhere, the mother arrives and goes into hysterics, screaming in a language I do not speak. Suddenly the boy has developed a limp, the aunt is grabbing at her neck and Grandma is staring at us. The mother demands we take the boy to the ER, and take the aunt too. We're told her neck hurts from trying to save the boy. Then grandma walks up holding her neck in the same way as a teenage family member tries to help her into the back of the crowded ambulance.
"OK, this needs to stop right now. Tell her this is fraud and she really doesn't want me to write down that she was fine, unhurt, then suddenly had a complaint, it looks bad in court."
"Oh I can't wait to testify on this one" My partner says while putting the aunt in C-Spine.
"What do you mean?" asks mom from the tailboard.
"You see, when you try to sue him, he'll subpoena your medical records and see you weren't hurt. If only the boy was touched by the car, only the boy's injuries are valid."
"But my poor mother turned her head so quickly when it happened, she is now hurt." she tells me.
My partner, a veteran street medic with less than 3 years to retirement let out such a laugh, I was almost embarrassed. The woman took mother back to the sidewalk and took the hand away from the neck, speaking to her in their native language.
"Why the laugh?" I asked him later.
"I speak their language and was following along the whole time. The woman told the grandmother to be sure to moan and tell them it hurts badly at the hospital before walking her over holding her neck."
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