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  1. #1

    Default Got Injured and a Person Called 911 Against My Will

    I was injured in a public building.

    The first person to the scene asked if I needed emergency treatment, and I told him I did not.

    In spite of this, the person made the decision to call 911 anyway even though the situation didn't warrant it. An ambulance came out, took me to the hospital, got treated, etc... and now I'm left with over $3,000 in medical bills. If this person hadn't called for 911, I wouldn't owe nearly as much as I do now.

    So the question is this:

    Could this person be held liable for these expenses?

  2. #2

    Default Re: Got Injured and a Person Called 911 Against My Will

    Nope. Ambulances don't show up and kidnap people against their will just because someone called (but really, how cool WOULD that be?). The determination to take you to the hospital was made by the ambulance crew based on your condition upon evaluation - coupled with either your CONSENT to do so, or your inability to give such consent.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Posts
    1,995

    Default Re: Got Injured and a Person Called 911 Against My Will

    I work at a senior center, and I had an accident once, when decisions to call 911 came up.

    I hit a bicylist once when he went the wrong way against the light. Police on the scene called the ambulance, and he protested "no no no". The ambulance came anyway but he adamantly refused to go on, so he was finally asked to sign a release by the ambulance crew saying if if anything happened after, he cannot sue. The ambulance left without him.

    At indicated to you in the prior answer, the ambulance cannot kidnap you.

    You didn't say if the person who came upon you worked with the public housing. As employees of the senior center where I am, if I encountered a situation needing a call to 911, and we didn't call, then something happened, we CAN BE SUED. We have people who temporarily fainted, suffered minor strokes, and because we are not medically trained, we've been told TO CALL 911 regardless and let them make the determination. This way, the decision is OUT OF OUR HANDS.

    In fact, we ran into situations where our members said "don't call 911", but we did it anyway, and it turned out it was a serious matter where the person had shortness of breath (onset of a heart attack), and had we not called, the person would have died. Then we could really be sued. And I got yelled at by my director when she told me to call 911 once, the member kept saying "no no no", I hesitated, and I was told that if something happened, it would be on my head and our center would be sued. The member was worried about being stuck with medical bills, and ambulance fees can run as high as $800 here.

    None the less, if I don't call 911, my job would be on the line, our center could be sued if we didn't call, and we could've put our member at risk.

    For these reasons, some states put into effect "good samaritan laws" for no other purpose that when people came upon an emergency, tried to help, as calling 911 in this case, and then actually got sued. In CA, someone successfully sued, the court decision was roundly condemned, and the state legislature immediately passed a law protecting good samaritans so it won't happen again. Mostly, good samaritans cannot be successfully sued.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Posts
    19,901

    Default Re: Got Injured and a Person Called 911 Against My Will

    You can not hold people liable for calling 911. As others have pointed out, it's often advisable to call 911 even if the person claims they are not injured.
    You have the right to refuse medical treatment. You did not, so YOU are responsible for paying.
    Check your health insurance.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Toledo, OH
    Posts
    16,307

    Default Re: Got Injured and a Person Called 911 Against My Will

    If this person hadn't called for 911, I wouldn't owe nearly as much as I do now.
    When you told the paramedics "No, I don't need you,don't touch me, go away", what happened?

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