Judge Tosses Suit Filed By Family Of Woman Who Died Waiting For Help In 2010 Blizzard

NEW YORK (AP) -- A judge has tossed a lawsuit filed by relatives of a woman who died while waiting two hours for an ambulance after a blizzard paralyzed New York City in December of 2010.

Kathleen Thomas was 51 when she suffered a fatal heart attack after slipping in the snow.

Her boyfriend called 911, but the city's emergency response system was in disarray. Ambulances couldn't get through unplowed streets. People waited hours for help that normally comes quickly.

The family lost on a technicality. Manhattan Supreme Court Judge Margaret Chan said that under an obscure law, the city can't be held liable for delays in care unless a 911 call is made by the injured person or an immediate family member.

Thomas' sister, Simone Pascal, said she feels ``betrayed'' by the ruling.

(Copyright 2013 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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