In what seems like a bizarre twist of “adding insult to injury,” a 71-year-old cyclist in Oregon is suing Columbia River Fire & Rescue after being hit by one of their ambulances, only to then be slapped with a $1,862 bill for the trip to the hospital.
The lawsuit, filed by William Hoesch, outlines a scene straight out of a dark comedy: as he pedaled through the small town of Rainier near the Columbia River, an ambulance attempting a right turn crashed into him, reportedly crushing him under its wheels.
The accident left Hoesch with a broken nose, a destroyed bicycle, and long-term injuries, including reduced grip and limited range of motion—injuries that, according to the lawsuit, have cost him close to $100,000 in medical expenses.
The driver, going around 2 to 10 mph, reportedly heard a “thump,” stopped, and immediately transported Hoesch to the hospital. It was a life-saving response but one that came with an unexpected price tag.
When the ambulance company later billed Hoesch nearly $1,900 for the hospital ride they’d caused, Hoesch was left astonished. Now, he’s taking them to court, demanding nearly $1 million in damages, with $997,000 cited for pain, suffering, and compensation for medical bills.
Hoesch’s lawsuit paints a picture of a surreal experience that left him both physically and financially bruised. The bill, in particular, has struck a chord of frustration with many who see it as emblematic of systemic issues in medical billing, especially for services that patients neither sought nor initiated.
In Hoesch’s case, he’s questioning why he was billed for a ride he never wanted—a ride made necessary by the company’s own driver.
While Columbia River Fire & Rescue has yet to comment on the incident, the case underscores a larger issue: the often convoluted, costly landscape of emergency medical billing.
For now, Hoesch’s lawsuit aims to hold the ambulance company accountable, setting a precedent that could have wider implications for how such incidents are handled in the future.
