Victim takes the stand in AMR lawsuit

Portland, Ore. -  The woman at the center of a sexual assault case against an ambulance company took the stand Monday and described the abuse she endured by the paramedic who was supposed to care for her.

Royshekka Herring took the stand with a promise from her lawyer that this would be the last time she'd have to talk about the night she was molested by American Medical Response paramedic Lannie Haszard.

Her lawsuit claims that the company took no action against Haszard even after it received complaints about him.

She told the jury how the attack changed her as a mother and brought Herring to tears. It was her children who Herring said called 9-1-1 when she passed out in her home.

The ambulance arrived and it was Haszard and another man who tended to her. Haszard was alone with her in the back of the vehicle.

Herring said she was nauseous and hooked up to an IV. She said she felt like she wasn't completely awake, but she said she clearly remembered Haszard fondling her.

“I couldn’t do anything,” she said.

Herring described the anger she felt when Haszard was allowed to continue his shift even after she told nurses and doctors and an AMR manager about the attack.

 AMR's defense pointed out that that manager did call police, but the plaintiff's attorney said the manager only did it with coaxing from a nurse.

Three other women complained to AMR of similar assaults by Haszard. Herring said she just wants justice for his victims.

 “This is the hardest thing I've ever did in my life,” she said.
    
Herring is suing AMR for $5 million. Haszard was convicted and sentenced to five years in prison for what he did to Herring and three other patients.