Really? Suing the people that saved your life

[Grayfox]

A US man is suing the rescuers who saved his life because of how long they took to recover him from a car stuck upside-down in a creek.

Roy Ortiz filed a half-million dollar lawsuit against Broomfield County, Colorado, and the North Metro Fire Rescue District over the rescue last September.

"I'm really happy to be alive," he told local station 7News.

"But I'm looking for some help with my bills."

Mr Ortiz hit a section of washed out road during raging floods and his car plunged into a creek.

Despite being submerged in the upside-down car, Ortiz survived by breathing through a pocket of air in the car for more than two hours.

His lawyer Ed Ferszt told said that his rescue took so long because divers did not know that Mr Ortiz was in the car when it was washed off the road.

"Of course he was thankful because those divers did have a major role to play in saving his life that day," Mr Ferszt said.

"That doesn't negate the fact that a mistake may have been made."

Mr Ortiz racked up US$40,000 ($44,300) in medical bills as a result of a shoulder injury sustained in the crash.

He also has recurring dreams of shivering to death.

The county is being sued because Mr Ortiz believed they should have closed the road during the flooding.


http://news.ninemsn.com.au/world/2014/03/11/14/37/us-flood-crash-victim-sues-his-rescuers

Faceplaming does not cut it.
You need something that defines something more stupid.

 

[Azure Flare]

His fault for driving while there was flooding.

 

[Grayfox]

It would be funny if he did win his case then was charged by the police.
Public endangerment, as he put the public's life in danger
Reckless driving, as driving into flood waters is reckless

 

[prisonermonkeys]

His lawyer Ed Ferszt told said that his rescue took so long because divers did not know that Mr Ortiz was in the car when it was washed off the road.

So, how were they supposed to know he was there?

 

[Grayfox]

So, how were they supposed to know he was there?

ESP?

 

[eran0004]

What needs facepalming here is the healthcare policy. $40 000 in medical bills! In Sweden he would probably have gotten away with about $400. Possibly $0 if he had a good insurance.

 

[GTPorsche]

A US man

Stopped reading there. Without knowing the story and before clicking this thread, I knew this was going to be about an American since this country is lawsuit-crazy.

 

[XPOWER180]

What needs facepalming here is the healthcare policy. $40 000 in medical bills! In Sweden he would probably have gotten away with about $400. Possibly $0 if he had a good insurance.

And in Britain it would have been ZERO but America doesn't seem to want to live in the 21st century like the rest of us. Charging for health care, absolutely shocking - more shocking than this idiot trying to sue his rescuers!

 

[Azure Flare]

And in Britain it would have been ZERO but America doesn't seem to want to live in the 21st century like the rest of us.

There is an entire political party trying to keep that going as well. And they say that 'Merica has the best healthcare system in the world.

But you do have to remember, Americans like to sue people all the time for BS reasons.

 

[LMSCorvetteGT2]

ESP?

That's how first respondents do it here, don't they do it like that everywhere

Stopped reading there. Without knowing the story and before clicking this thread, I knew this was going to be about an American since this country is lawsuit-crazy.

That why I only talk to you guys and my family cause I'm afraid to talk to anyone else and get sued.


But seriously guys who let this man watch the first 20 minutes of The Incredibles after being rescued...

 

[frenzal]

He also has recurring dreams of shivering to death.

Trying to work out here as to how one shivers to death.

And a $500,000 lawsuit to cover a $40,000 medical bill????? Oh yeah sorry, the rest is the scumbag lawyers cut. How do you come to the conclusion to actually sue someone out of this anyway? Grayfox is right...facepalming is an utterly inadequate response to this.

 

[TenEightyOne]

There is something odd though; why didn't the EMS establish if there was somebody in the car? Surely it's normal practice the world over for first-responders to establish if there are people at the scene and where? Even with an apparently 'abandoned' car.

Does that give this guy the right to sue? Maybe legally, but hopefully a judge will laugh in his rather dim face.

 

[Danoff]

I remember that flood well. It was quite bad all over Denver. EMS was all over the place helping people out. I think I know where that guy was submerged, and that road is still not repaired.

There's no way the city of Broomfield knew that that road was going to collapse (if that's where he was submerged), so suing them for not closing it doesn't seem appropriate. It would make more sense to sue them for improper construction or something - not that I'm recommending that either.

 

[XPOWER180]

It would make more sense if he grew up and accepted that sometimes events are out of anyone's control, pathetic man.

 

[BobK]

It would make more sense if he grew up and accepted that sometimes events are out of anyone's control, pathetic man.

Of course it would, but then he'd have to pony up that forty large on his own. And that's what this is really all about.

 

[Ryanswannell]

Of course it would, but then he'd have to pony up that forty large on his own. And that's what this is really all about.

I can understand looking to get the $40,000, but I can't understand where the extra $460,000 comes from. That is being greedy and nothing less.

 

[Ken]

I lost 75% of everything I owned in this flood. Nearly had my car wash away. My daughter and her mother were told to evacuate their homes, but the roads leading out were washed out. Can I sue the town of Broomfield as well?

 

[ExigeEvan]

I can understand looking to get the $40,000, but I can't understand where the extra $460,000 comes from. That is being greedy and nothing less.

My first thought is $400,000 of lawyer fees.

 

[BobK]

My first thought is $400,000 of lawyer fees.

Bingo!

 

[Ryanswannell]

My first thought is $400,000 of lawyer fees.

In that case, I stand corrected. 👍
It still doesn't make it right though. It was an unavoidable event that took place, it happens to every one of us. It's tough 🤬.

EDIT: How strange is it that the total cost of the healthcare bills, combined with a lawyers fee magically equates to exactly half a million dollars. I get the feeling that there is some 'spending money' included in that total cost

 

[Zenith]

This comes back to the moral discussion that rescue workers have no obligation to save your life or provide you with medical care. This applies in the same way that police officers have no obligation to protect you against criminals. It won't last long in court.

 

[TenEightyOne]

I think that anyone first-responder would agree that anything they can do to help them save more lives, or make people more safe, is better. They do it to help, certainly not for the money.

I think that a lesson might need to be learned from this incident, the car should have been checked until the EMS could say for definite that they had ascertained it was empty.

That's easier said than done of course and when there's flooding, chaos, unreliable witnesses, things go wrong. Who knows what happened in this case but to sue the guys on the ground seems... unpleasant somehow.

I'm sure that a judge will feel annoyed at this case if it was brought. I'd like to see Judge Judy get this one and do some seriously disgusted frowning.

 

[ProjectWHaT]

Suing people who help you happen daily in China....

 

[Slash]

If this went on Judge Judy I would laugh my ass off.

 

[Grayfox]

If this went on Judge Judy I would laugh my ass off.

The cases are real
The people are real

 

[Blitz24]

In that case, I stand corrected. 👍
It still doesn't make it right though. It was an unavoidable event that took place, it happens to every one of us. It's tough 🤬.

EDIT: How strange is it that the total cost of the healthcare bills, combined with a lawyers fee magically equates to exactly half a million dollars. I get the feeling that there is some 'spending money' included in that total cost

Of course. How else will the lawyer be able to maintain his boat?

 

[Agent_47]

If I was the judge I would just laugh and dismiss the case.

 

[TenEightyOne]

If this went on Judge Judy I would laugh my ass off.

It's the most serious court that he deserves to appear in, and I just want to see the guy get shouted at for having the brass neck to ever bring the case. In front of the world.

Then I can switch back to fat people crying on Jerry Springer.

 

[Parker]

Maybe they should charge this guy for the cost of his entire rescue operation, that makes a whole lot more sense than what he is trying to do.

 

[FoolKiller]

Does Colorado not have Good Samaritan protection laws? It took one lawsuit where a guy sued the guy that saved his life using CPR, and broke some ribs in the process, for legal protections to get setup around here. Last thing they want is a precedent for this behavior. Soon, no one bothers getting trained to save lives.