A 71-year-old American man was hit by an ambulance while riding a bicycle. Transported to hospital, he now has to pay $1,800 in transportation costs. He filed a complaint.
Injured, he must also pay the bill. In the United States, a cyclist received a bill for more than $1,800 from a fire station after being taken to hospital following an accident caused by one of his ambulances, reports the media in particular Oregon Live on November 5. The man decided to sue the barracks.
Considering this request to be undue, the American decided to file a complaint on October 24. He is claiming 997,000 dollars, or 929,802 euros, from the emergency service which took care of him, for the damage suffered.
The cyclist claims to have suffered from various pains, stiffness, a reduction in the range of movements he can perform and a reduction in the grip strength of the hand, after the accident.
The ambulance turns sharply
The facts date back to October 2022. William Hoesch, 71, enjoys a bike ride in Rainier, a small town in Oregon, on the American west coast. On his left side, an ambulance is driving in the same direction as him.
Suddenly, she steers right and hits him. The septuagenarian found himself thrown to the ground, his bike completely crushed. The accident occurred just outside the fire station belonging to the Columbia River Fire and Rescue Department, where the ambulance was returning from a mission
The emergency vehicle then picks up the injured cyclist and takes him to hospital. William Hoesch came out well, with a broken nose and bruises, but he had to stay hospitalized for a while.
At least $47,000 requested in medical expenses
The story could have ended there. Except that some time later, the septuagenarian was surprised to receive a hefty bill. He is asked to pay 47,000 dollars, or 43,832 euros, in medical expenses, these expenses being the responsibility of the patient in the United States.
The amount claimed includes reimbursement for ambulance transportation to the hospital. This service is billed at $1,832, or approximately €1,736, by the Columbia River Fire and Rescue Department. The letter tells William Hoesch that an additional $50,000 will still be requested from him in the future in medical expenses.
The septuagenarian now wants to obtain reimbursement for all the medical expenses he received, those for the ambulance ride and is asking for additional money in the name of the damage suffered.
