Fatal Ambulance Crash Suit Underway

Joint mediation, scheduled to begin in May, has been ordered in two lawsuits against Rampart Emergency Services and a Rampart employee involved in an Escanaba, Michigan ambulance wreck that left two people dead from the personal injuries they received.

On March 5, 2007, 32-year-old registered nurse Lisa Hanson and 38-year-old patient Carrie Roberts both died from the personal injuries they received from a Rampart ambulance crashing into a parked semi truck. Roberts was in the process of transfer from OSF St. Francis Hospital to Marquette General Hospital and Hanson was her nurse.

Family members filed suit on the behalf of each of the deceased against Rampart Ambulance and Natalia Jauquet, the driver of the ambulance at the time of the crash.

Each suit seeks damages in excess of $25,000.

According to the complaint of Roberts’ family, she was not suffering from a life-threatening condition and there was no factor besides driver error that led to the crash.

According to the first count, Jauquet was allegedly negligent in her driving due to exceeding the speed limit, not sounding a siren, careless driving, and failing to keep the ambulance on the traveled portion of the highway.

The second count relates to the alleged negligence of Rampart Emergency Medical Services, Inc., who owns the ambulance and employs Jauquet.

The third count relates to the alleged negligent supervision of Rampart, including their failure to properly supervise and insure that Jauquet had received the necessary training to operate the ambulance and warn Roberts that the driver was not qualified.