Joint mediation, scheduled to begin in May, has been ordered in two lawsuits against Rampart Emergency Services and a Rampart employee involved in a fatal ambulance crash last year.

On March 5, 2007, Lisa Hanson, 32, Cornell, a registered nurse, and Carrie Roberts, 38, Escanaba, a patient, were both killed when a Rampart ambulance crashed into a semi truck parked alongside U.S. 41 in Skandia Township. Roberts was being transferred from OSF St. Francis Hospital to Marquette General Hospital. Hanson was her nurse.

On behalf of each of the deceased, family members have filed lawsuits against Rampart Ambulance (owned by Marquette General Hospital) and Natalia Jauquet, the Rampart employee who was driving the ambulance when it crashed.

As reported by the Daily Press earlier this month, Hanson’s husband, Scott Hanson, filed a lawsuit against Rampart and Jauquet on July 30. Attorney Steven Pence, Marquette, representing Judith Roberts, personal representative of the estate of Carrie Roberts, also filed a lawsuit

against the two parties on July 31, according to Marquette County Circuit Court records. Both lawsuits seek more than $25,000 in damages on each of several complaints against Rampart and Jauquet. If the matter is not resolved at a mediation conference in May, a pre-trial conference has been set for June 9.

According to the Roberts complaint, “Carrie Ann Roberts, while in need of medical care, was not suffering from a life-threatening medical condition while en route to Marquette.” Background information also includes, “No factor, other than driver error, contributed to the subject accident.”

Count 1 addresses the alleged negligence of Jauquet including exceeding the speed limit, not sounding a siren, careless driving, and failing to keep the vehicle on the traveled portion of the highway.

Because of this alleged negligence, count one states Carrie’s family has suffered the following: conscious pain and suffering endured by Carrie; medical, funeral and burial expenses; and loss of love, support, income, maintenance and services including affection, guidance, society and companionship.

Count 2 addresses the alleged negligence of Rampart Emergency Medical Services, Inc., as owner of the ambulance and employer of Jauquet.

Count 3 addresses the alleged negligent supervision of Rampart Emergency Medical Services, Inc., including “failing to properly supervise” and insure than Jauquet “received all appropriate and necessary training in the operation of the emergency vehicle before permitting her to operate the ambulance.” The complaint also stated Rampart failed to warn Carrie that

the driver “was unqualified to operate the ambulance.”

The above three counts seek damages in excess of $25,000 each, plus interests, costs and attorney fees. A trial by jury is also being demanded by the plaintiff.

In a defendants’ answer to the above complaints on Sept. 13, attorney Sean Fosmire, Marquette, demanded judgement in the defendants’ favor including attorney fees and costs.

Fosmire’s document claims several of the allegations are untrue and the accident cannot be attributed to the defendants.

In reference to Count 1, the document states “Jauquet did recognize and fulfill a general duty to exercise due care in the operation of the motor vehicle.”

In Count 3, the defense lawyer says, “Rampart did recognize and fulfill a general duty to exercise due care for the safety of patients and occupants of its vehicle.”

Fosmire requested a reply from the plaintiff regarding the accident was caused, “in whole or in part,” by alleged negligence of the owner and operator of the logging truck and the business that maintained the semi.

In a “Notice of Non-party Fault” Fosmire alleges the lawsuit’s claims “are limited or barred by the negligence or casual responsibility” of the plaintiffs or semi truck driver Ron Constantino, truck owner Kanerva Forest Products of Rock, and Bayview Truck and Auto Service in Gladstone, which maintained the ambulance.

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