An Oregon cyclist claims the same ambulance that hit him charged him nearly $2,000 to take him to a local hospital.
William Hoesch, 71, argues in a new lawsuit that he was pedaling through the small town of Rainier in Columbia County in October 2022, traveling in the same direction as a Columbia Fire and Rescue ambulance, when he attempted to turn onto right onto another street and crashed into him, reports the Oregonian.
He allegedly broke his nose and suffered scratches and other injuries, as his bicycle was crushed under the ambulance tire.
Hoesch was then picked up by the ambulance and taken to a local hospital, only to be billed $1,862 for the trip, his attorney Travis Mayor argues.
That’s on top of $47,000 in medical expenses he’s already accrued and another $50,000 in expected medical costs, according to the $997,000 lawsuit filed Oct. 24.
William Hoesch, 71, claims he was charged nearly $2,000 to be taken to a local hospital in the same ambulance that hit him in October 2022.
Police reports obtained by the Oregonian show that the driver who hit Hoesch and a passenger inside the ambulance at the time estimated he was traveling between two and 10 mph when they heard a crash, stopped the vehicle and found Hoesch injured.
But Hoesch estimated the vehicle was going five to 10 mph and said he didn’t think it would turn in front of him as he tried to return to the Columbia River Fire & Rescue Rainier Station after a trip.
He is also now seeking $900,000 in damages for pain and suffering, alleging that he has suffered a decreased range of motion, reduced grip strength and other symptoms as a result of the collision.
The lawsuit notes that Hoesch’s uninsured and underinsured motorist coverage is required to cover any damages that Columbia River Fire & Rescue cannot cover.
Hoesch claims he was pedaling through the small town of Rainier in Columbia County, traveling in the same direction as a Columbia Fire and Rescue ambulance, when he attempted to turn right onto another street and was hit.
However, Fire Chief Eric Smythe told DailyMail.com that the department has police and insurance records that he says “paint a different picture” than what Hoesch describes in his lawsuit.
“We have done our due diligence and treated a patient who was injured,” he said.
