Pro Bono Adventures
Featured Volunteer: Wesley Hassler
May/June 2026
Colorado Lawyer is spreading tales of pro bono adventures to highlight the impact that pro bono work can have on someone’s life. This month’s featured volunteer is Wesley Hassler of Hassler Law Firm, which handles a wide range of legal matters throughout Pueblo and Southern Colorado. Hassler currently serves as vice chair of the Colorado Supreme Court Access to Justice Commission, a trustee for the Office of Attorney Regulation Counsel, and chair of a committee finalizing the new Colorado Rules of Family Procedure.
Wesley’s Story
A young single mother came to my office distraught because a collection agency had sued her for $2,500 over an ambulance she had used after an accident. She had no money to hire an attorney, even though she worked full-time. She had health insurance that should have covered the bill. I decided to assist her at no charge.
I discovered that the ambulance company billed the insurer with an incorrect code, so the claim was denied. Rather than resubmit the correct code, the company sold the debt to a collection agency, which then sued her.
I attempted to resolve the dispute without success. So, I answered in court, and added third-party complaints against the insurer for breach of contract and bad faith, and against the ambulance company for breach of contract. The original $2,500 ambulance bill now involved four attorneys with probable legal fees of $7,500.
Once all the attorneys got together, the ambulance company resubmitted their claim with the correct code, and the insurance company promptly paid the invoice. The case was dismissed without a judgment against my client.
All too often, those who do what’s right—by contributing to society, working full-time, and carrying health insurance—are trampled by large corporations. Corporations abuse the system, knowing many people don’t have the resources to fight. Having handled three of these cases myself, no doubt this happens often.
My client was overjoyed that the case was resolved at no charge to her. I don’t lightly file third-party complaints, but I do take professional satisfaction in knowing that the large corporation that initiated the case and tried to bulldoze my client ended up paying more in attorney fees.
Names and details in the stories have been changed to protect the identity of the parties receiving assistance. If you have a pro bono story to share, please contact Casey Frank at caseyfrank@probono.com.
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