Tanya Chilcott
September 07, 2007 12:00am


MATTHEW Lawson was a code one patient who died at the scene of his accident near the Gold Coast.

Despite his urgent need for medical treatment, it took ambulance officers 25 minutes to reach the father of two young daughters.

Records obtained under Freedom of Information laws also reveal ambulance officers pressed the "on-scene button" more than five minutes before they actually arrived, a practice the Queensland Ambulance Service Commissioner has vehemently denied is used to falsify response-time records.

As concern continues to build about the state of our ambulance service, Mr Lawson's family desperately wants to know whether he could have been saved if medical treatment had been delivered sooner.

Mr Lawson, 35, of Ormeau Hills, died about an hour after his motorbike collided with a car on August 26 last year at Ormeau, just a few minutes away from the closest ambulance station.

An ambulance spokeswoman said that station was closed on the weekends and the nearest operating station was about 10km away at Beenleigh. "At the time of the call, ambulance teams in the area were responding to a number of life-threatening cases, including two patients with chest pain and a patient with breathing problems," she said.

Mr Lawson's family said they were told by a Queensland Health official that he might have been saved if medical help had arrived sooner because he most probably bled to death from his multiple fractures.

A coroner is investigating his death.

An autopsy found he died of "multiple injuries due to a motorcycle accident".

Mr Lawson's sister, Michelle Lawson, said the QAS was endangering lives with its lengthy response times.

"It's just not fair. Matthew bled to death on the side of the road and I feel that the ambulance service and the Government as a whole are responsible for his death.," she said.

"I think if the ambulance did get there within a certain time frame he probably could have survived."

Ambulance records show the first officers reached the scene at 6.19pm but treatment did not begin until 6.26pm after a second crew arrived.

A statement from QAS said the time recording of 6.19pm was a mistake.

"The Woodridge unit pressed the on-scene button at 6.19pm when adjacent to the incident but the crew then realised that they were unable to cross the Pacific Motorway at that location and had to proceed down the motorway to an exit and return along the service road to the incident," the statement said.

The service also lost an electrocardiogram strip the family had requested.



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My condolences go out to Matthew Lawson's Family and friends.

There is a organization we have in the States that give classes for motorcycle accident assistance called, “A Crash Course for the Motorcyclist”. Accident Scene Management, Inc., 400 Travis Lane #30 Waukesha, WI 53189
(877) 411-8551 e-mail: info@accidentscene.org , http://www.accidentscene.org/docs/PromoPack100.pdf

They educate the public and individuals and proudly offer Bystander Assistance & EMS Programs focused on the specifics of Motorcycle Trauma. This packet of information contains generic financial requirements for ASMI classes.

Accident Scene Management, Inc. is a non-profit organization that teaches motorcyclists (or any motorist) what to do at the scene of an accident until help arrives. This intense, one-day course will each you: P.A.C.T. – Prevent further injury, Assess the situation, Contact the EMS, and Treat the injured with life sustaining care using the ABCSS of trauma.

Accident Scene Management, Inc. believes that the most likely person to be at the scene of a motorcycle crash is another motorcyclist. Our goals are to reduce severity of injury & fatalities at the scene of a crash through proper actions and reactions. We also expect to make the motorcyclist more aware of how they can protect themselves legally and financially.

To read further go to the Website address furnished above.

Again to Michelle Lawson, her family and friends. I am deeply sorry for your lose.

Garry Van Kirk
Bikers Accident Survivor Forum
www.bacsuv.com
bikeraccsurvivor@bacsuv.com

my brother in-law was just killed . on may 25, 2007. leaving behind 3 children, and my sister is now a widow,the driver was given only a $41.00fine for failure to yield to the right of way,chris's life is worth more then $41.00... i completely understand how you and your family feel, the loss is unbearable, no one truely knows unless they have been through it, and i pray they never have to. when a loved one is killed by a careless driver it makes it even more tragic because it was accident that did not have to happen , my sister along with the rest of chris's family and friends are petitiong to change the laws,if you would like to help please go to CHRISRUSS.NET MY DEEPEST CONDOLENCES ON YOUR LOSS, jenny eves .... jjeves@verizon.net