Royshekka Herring, a 27 year old woman was passed out at home, suffering from bleeding problems and nausea, when the American Medical Response (AMR) arrived, supposedly to her rescue. Once in the ambulance and in route to the hospital, Haszard, a paramedic in the ambulance sat himself next to Herring and proceeded to reach down her pants, assuming she was unconscious. When Herring screamed, Haszard responded by sticking her own hand down her pants in order to further sexually manipulate her. Upon entering the hospital Herring reported what had happened to the other paramedic. She was then verbally threatened by Haszard, and when she became upset, was restrained by security. The report was later given to police, and one was also filed with AMR. Herring now suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder among the problems she had upon entering the ambulance. On September 9, 2009 a case was settled for $3.25 million, in which Herring sued AMR, alleging it negligently failed to investigate three similar claims in which Haszard had sexually assaulted three other female patients and that AMR had permitted abuse of a vulnerable person.
In many states there are laws that guarantee the “right of the vulnerable person,” and in all states laws against sexual harassment. But how do you act against something that you are unaware of happening? If Herring had actually been passed out she may have never known what had happened to her and Haszard could continue as he had, sexually assaulting women in a very vulnerable state. Is it now up to employers, such as hospitals and companies that deliver medical attention, such as AMR, to set up video cameras in their ambulances? Or to guarantee background checks on employees? Or to monitor each employee through another means?
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