Young lifeguard gets bill for saving 12 year old..$2600.00

http://www.koinlocal6.com/news/local/story/Teen-Rescue-Bill/1hLdhlt14kGX5C4GvnvKww.cspx

Clark thought the trip to Tillamook General Hospital was standard
procedure; he didn't give it a second thought until several weeks later
... when the bill arrived.

"I am extremely proud of him," his dad tells KOIN. "When we got the bill it was a shock."

The
emergency room bill came to $449. The physician's bill was $227. The
15-mile ride in the ambulance to Tillamook: $1,907. The total bill for
saving a young man's life? Nearly $2,600.

"I had a feeling
there would be a bill," Clark said. "But I didn't know how much it would
be, and I kind of feel bad for the fact that it's so expensive. But I
couldn't just let the kid go -- I had to do something."

TEOTWAWKI wrote:

http://www.koinlocal6.com/news/local/story/Teen-Rescue-Bill/1hLdhlt14kGX5C4GvnvKww.cspx

Clark thought the trip to Tillamook General Hospital was standard
procedure; he didn't give it a second thought until several weeks later
... when the bill arrived.

"I am extremely proud of him," his dad tells KOIN. "When we got the bill it was a shock."

The
emergency room bill came to $449. The physician's bill was $227. The
15-mile ride in the ambulance to Tillamook: $1,907. The total bill for
saving a young man's life? Nearly $2,600.

"I had a feeling
there would be a bill," Clark said. "But I didn't know how much it would
be, and I kind of feel bad for the fact that it's so expensive. But I
couldn't just let the kid go -- I had to do something."

Sounds to me like Washington State needs to institute a Good Samaritan law. That is just plain wrong on all fronts.

Admin wrote:

Sounds to me like Washington State needs to institute a Good Samaritan law. That is just plain wrong on all fronts.

No disrespect Ghost, but I think there is a distinction between a trained paid rescuer and a Good Samaritan. I could be wrong, though... it's been 20 years since my EMT days. If I'm recalling it correctly, a good samaritan is someone who isn't trained or "qualified" to render assistance and renders assistance. Some states absolve these good samaritans of liability for damage done while rendering assistance.

You would think that the kid's employer would be on the hook for workman's comp for injuries incurred while on duty. He WAS on duty, wasn't he?

EricEricson wrote:

Admin wrote:

Sounds to me like Washington State needs to institute a Good Samaritan law. That is just plain wrong on all fronts.

No disrespect Ghost, but I think there is a distinction between a trained paid rescuer and a Good Samaritan. I could be wrong, though... it's been 20 years since my EMT days. If I'm recalling it correctly, a good samaritan is someone who isn't trained or "qualified" to render assistance and renders assistance. Some states absolve these good samaritans of liability for damage done while rendering assistance.

You would think that the kid's employer would be on the hook for workman's comp for injuries incurred while on duty. He WAS on duty, wasn't he?

The article is a bit vague so I am not sure if he was on duty or not. But yes if he was on duty workman's comp should pick up the tab.

I am used to the European definition of a Good Samaritan. Throughout most of Europe and the Scandinavian Countries, a person can be held liable if they do not render aid.