A jury of eight men and women ruled in favor of paramedic Michael Senisch was wrongfully terminated after honoring a patient's wishes to refuse recommended medical treatment.
Mr. Senisch and a fellow paramedic visited the home of Brian and Wendy Johnson in February 2016. Ms. Johnson had a severe infection but declined to let the paramedics place an IO intraosseous infusion in her arm. The process entails using a drill-like device to insert a catheter into a patient's bone to deliver fluids or medications.
Instead, Mr. Senisch administered a holistic treatment known as Reiki to Ms. Johnson after learning she preferred holistic approaches over traditional medicine. Mr. Senisch claims physicians reprimanded him for not inserting an IV or IO, and he was fired shortly after the incident.
AtlantiCare previously said Mr. Senisch's claims in the lawsuit, filed in 2016, are "simply untrue." The eight member jury panel of course, felt otherwise. The claims by Mr. Senisch were true and he has been vindicated and his good name and reputation restored.
The jury awarded Mr. Senisch his back pay and emotional distress damages of $90,000.00. This now clears the way for Mr. Senisch to seek equitable relief with the Court for reinstatement to his former position as a paramedic. he will be awarded reimbursement of his attorneys fees and costs and prejudgment interest which totals more than $800,000.00.
