Hospital, ambulance company respond to lawsuit

HATTIESBURG — Forrest General Hospital and AAA Ambulance Service have denied any wrongdoing in response to a lawsuit contending they steered patients away from Wesley Medical Center.

The Hattiesburg American reports the companies filed their response to the lawsuit this past week in federal court in Hattiesburg.

Wesley sued AAA and Forrest General Hospital in April. Both hospitals are in Hattiesburg.

Wesley contends some patients were falsely classified as “trauma” patients and were told they could only be taken to Forrest General because they could not receive care at Wesley.

Wesley says patients were told Wesley did not have physician specialists or capabilities to care for their medical emergencies.

In its response, Forrest General also claims that as a political subdivision of the state, the hospital is entitled to immunity.