I hardly think that the medical industry of the United States is strapped for cash, but with hustles like these, I may be wrong. In this case, an ambulance runs down a cyclist, before charging him to take him to hospital. What on earth has happened to goodwill?
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Old William Hoesch, 71, was cycling along in his small town of Rainie, by the Columbia River when he was hit by the ambulance. The vehicle wasn't going particularly fast, between 2 and 10 mph apparently, but it still did damage. Hoesch was knocked from his bike and fell to the ground.
The collision broke his nose, smashed his bike, and crushed him under the ambulance. The driver was clearly not paying attention when he hit the old boy. He was left bloodied and in pain, out on the road.
The ambulance, being an emergency vehicle, peeled him up and bundled him off to the hospital. Here he was treated, to the tune of $100,000. However, these weren't the only charges he wracked up on this jolly spending spree he chose to go on that day.
The Ambulance Company Charged Him For His Ride
After being hit by the ambulance, Hoesch was then handed a second bill in the hospital. This one was from the very same ambulance company that hit him in the first place. Not only had they caused the damages, but they were going to charge him for them too. The sheer audacity.
Columbia River Fire & Rescue sent him over a bill of $1,800 for the pleasure of being run flat and escorted to the emergency room. They have a pretty good racket going on, and I feel like I may be in the wrong profession.
However, Old Hoesch clapped back and is suing Columbia River Fire & Rescue for a solid $997,000. He has a reduced range of motion and reduced grip after the ambulance accident. That amount would set him up for life, and hopefully cover his cripplingly high medical bills.
However, if you happen to live in the Columbia River district, beware. There is an ambulance crew out there who have a hefty lawsuit to cover, and they have some pretty nasty ways of collecting funds. Watch your back.