Opinion ID: 722476
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: A-1's Takings Claim Against the City of Salinas

Text: 41 The City of Salinas (City) is an incorporated entity within the County of Monterey. For many years, the City has been a first responder agency through its fire department. As such, the City's fire fighters and emergency medical personnel are dispatched to all 911 calls throughout the city which might involve injuries. A-1 also responds to these same calls. 42 In compliance with the County's medical protocols, the County's base station hospitals decide which medical attendant on the scene will be primarily responsible for the patient during transit. When the base station directs the City's paramedic to remain in charge, A-1's contract and the County's medical plan require that A-1 provide transportation for the City's paramedic and the patient, as well as any necessary equipment or supplies. In such situations, A-1 charges the patient the full price for the ambulance service and the City charges nothing. 43 A-1's claim against the City is that the City's actions violate the Takings Clause of the Fifth Amendment (which is applicable to the States through the Fourteenth Amendment) because the City did not pay A-1 for its use of A-1's equipment. The City moved for summary judgment on this claim, which the district court granted without explanation. We review de novo, Warren v. City of Carlsbad, 58 F.3d 439, 441 (9th Cir.1995), cert denied, --- U.S. ----, 116 S.Ct. 1261, 134 L.Ed.2d 209 (1996), and affirm. 44 The City argues that its paramedics only used A-1's ambulances and equipment if they were required to do so under the County's medical protocols, and therefore A-1 may only bring claims against the County and not the City. We agree. Although A-1 claims that the City should have paid for its use of A-1's ambulance and equipment, the City's use of the equipment was provided for in A-1's contract with the County, as was A-1's compensation for this use. Therefore, if the amount of compensation is inadequate, A-1 is limited to bringing a claim against the County and not the City.