Paramedic felt ‘survivor’s guilt’ over death of friend

A paramedic who has sued for nervous shock after witnessing the death of his colleague who fell out of an ambulance yesterday told the High Court he suffered survivor’s guilt afterwards.

“The survivor’s guilt was hitting me all the time. I felt it was a never ending thing. I was on a merrygoround I could not get off,” PJ Cahill told the High Court.

Referring to the 2010 accident when his friend and colleague father of six Simon Sexton died, Mr Cahill said: ”All I know is it should never have happened. You are working for a caring professional service and end up falling out of an ambulance and dying on the side of the road.” He told Mr Justice Raymond Fullam: “The survivor’s guilt will always be there.”