MILBURN, Ky. — Seconds can make the difference in an emergency but how about an hour? One local family says emergency personnel botched their loved one's rescue in a way that cost him his life.

The family is now suing a number of county employees, including the Emergency Services Director, a 9-1-1 dispatcher and emergency responders.

The lawsuit, filed in Carlisle County Circuit Court, revolves around a car crash in May 2011 on Highway 80 near Milburn. Two cars collided that morning. The driver of one of the cars, William B. Stermon, later died but a lawsuit claims it wasn't just the crash that killed him.

The lawsuit claims once emergency responders finally did arrive, they spent 66 minutes there before getting Stermon to the hospital. That put the total time from when dispatch received the call to when Stermon actually arrived at the hospital at 90 minutes.

The family argues medical services were not dispatched in "a reasonable time" and that the 9-1-1 center worker "dispatched emergency medical services in the wrong direction."

The Carlisle County Attorney, Mike Hogancamp, represents some of the county employees named in the lawsuit. He didn't offer much comment on the situation, only saying the case is in the early stages and depositions are taking place.

In addition to the delay in response time, the family's attorney said family members believe emergency medical workers who responded were not properly prepared or trained. For example, the attorney said one of the workers stated during the emergency that he forgot to refill the oxygen tanks needed at the scene.

William B. Stermon's family members did not want to comment on this story because of the pending litigation.