Published Oct. 9 in the Big Sandy News

Ambulance service wins civil suit, appeal likely

By MINDI THOMPSON
Big Sandy News Lawrence County Bureau

LOUISA — Lawrence County 911 coordinator Jeff Pack is fighting a court judgment against him that says he has to pay the former owner of LifeStar Ambulance Service almost a quarter of a million dollars for infringing on the service’s territory five years ago.

According to Phillip Elliott, LifeStar’s former owner, Pack has been ordered to pay him $243,816 as a result of the judgment.

The civil case against Pack and his former business, Advanced Care, Transport and Training, Inc., alleged that Pack and his company solicited business outside of their service area and cost Elliott’s ambulance services money by infringing on his territories. The complaint identifies those territories as Floyd and Johnson counties, the city of Louisa and “other parts of Lawrence County.”

The complaint also says Advanced Care’s license only authorized the service to respond to calls that fell within the area of west Ky. 32 to the Elliott County line, east Ky. 32 to Brushey Bridge, north Ky. 201 to Webbville and south Ky. 201 to the Johnson County line.

Elliott claimed in his complaint that Pack “continuously. . . solicited, secured and performed basic life support and advanced life support ambulance transport service” from restricted areas in Lawrence County.

Pack said that soon after the suit was filed, he was asked to go to Floyd County for a deposition. When he completed it, Pack said it was his understanding that he was free from the case and had not heard anything about it until he received the judgment.

Pack’s attorney, Michael Hogan of Louisa, has filed a motion to set aside the judgment. A hearing on the motion will be held Friday morning.

The lawsuit against Pack and his former company was one of two Elliott filed in recent years in the Big Sandy area concerning his regional ambulance service.

In Martin County, Elliott’s Martin County Emergency Service claims the fiscal court refused to put the company on the 911 rotation. Elliott sued the fiscal court, and a ruling is pending.

In a press release this week, Elliott said his service has changed its ambulance license because of the cost of waiting to be placed on the 911 rotation.

Prior to the change, the ambulance service was providing service in all levels of transports, including emergency calls. Now, the ambulance service is restricted to only non-emergency and inter-facility transport service.

Martin County Emergency Services was reportedly on the 911 rotation until May 27, 2000. The removal corresponded with new management taking over, Elliott said in his news release.

“We increased staff levels and re-introduced paramedic level coverage on a continuous basis,” Elliott said. “Within a week, we were removed from 911 rotation.”

For approximately two years, Elliott has attempted to have the ambulance service included in the 911 rotation. The ambulance service also opened a station in two locations to provide better service to all of Martin County by creating a better response time for areas on the other side of Martin County.

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