An ambulance struck a cyclist in Oregon, brought him to a hospital for treatment – and then billed him more than $1,800, according to a lawsuit that the unwitting patient has since filed.
William Hoesch, 71, was hit by the ambulance in question after its driver made a right turn, fracturing his nose and leaving him with scrapes as well as other injuries across his body.
Hoesch is suing the Columbia River fire and rescue department for nearly $1m after the agency he blames for the accident sent him a $1,862 bill for the ambulance ride. The lawsuit claims Hoesch was left with permanent injuries and has accrued about $47,000 in medical expenses so far, with an additional $50,000 in costs anticipated after his visit to the hospital, the local news outlet OregonLive reported.
The lawsuit, filed on 24 October, asserts that Hoesch was traveling through Columbia county, Oregon, on his bicycle in October 2022 while heading in the same direction as the ambulance. The medical vehicle then tried to make a right turn on to another street, crashing into Hoesch and destroying his bicycle.
According to police reports obtained by OregonLive, the driver who struck Hoesch and a passenger in the ambulance estimated the ambulance was going between 2mph and 10mph at the time of the accident. Hoesch estimated to police that he was going between 5mph and 10mph.
The crash left him covered in blood and resulted in prolonged injuries and “pain, stiffness, tenderness, discomfort, impaired range of motion, and reduced grip”, the suit states.
Hoesch is suing for $997,000 for pain and suffering, along with payment for medical bills.
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