Apartment Broken into and Tenant Hurt, Who Pays the Bills

[fidoprincess]

My question involves landlord-tenant law in the State of: CA

My niece's apt was broken into while she and her 3 roommates were asleep and robbed them. The burglar pepper sprayed two of them so badly that the police called an ambulance that came and flushed out their eyes. Today they each got a bill from the ambulance for $1100!

Who pays the bill? The police said the burglar had a KEY! but he was certainly no friend of the niece and an investigation is ongoing. Maybe the landlord had never changed the locks before the girls moved in?

Someone else said the CITY had to pay because they called the ambulance and were obligated to keep the city safe. These are young adults who don't have $2200 laying around, especially after being ROBBED!

Any advice would be great!

[Mr. Knowitall]

When you need and receive emergency medical treatment, you can expect to be billed for the services you receive. It is unfortunate that your niece and her roommates were not insured.

[jk]

was there only 1 ambulance? If so, you might research to see if charging individually what appears to be a full service bill to each party is legit. Not saying it is a winning idea, just an idea to look into.

and the only party you have a claim against for the treatment would be the burglars that caused the injury. You could have refused treatment. By doing that you would not have incurred any liability.