Aussie skate star Ben James's NYC nightmare hit by cab and $US200,000 medical bill Watch up-and-coming Australian skater Ben James in action. Courtesy: uliojays AN UP-AND-COMING Australian skateboard star hit by a cab in New York is trying to raise money after being left with a $US200,000 medical bill. Ben James, 22, had spent six months in the US shooting photos and filming his skateboard moves when he was struck by a cab, suffering major head trauma and fracturing his head in two places. He wasn't expected to survive but over the past two months has been in rehabilitation to get his speech, vision and balance back to normal. "I have been told by doctors I will most likely never skateboard again," he said. It is heartbreaking for me to even try to comprehend that diagnosis. While he was insured, James says they are refusing to pay out. His first three days in intensive care cost $US58,000 and the hospital bill for his two-week stay is tipped to be $US200,000 ($215,000). Skateboarder Ben James' gofundme.com page. James has established a gofundme.com page to try and raise half of the total medical bill and so far people have donated just over $US8000. His crowdfunding page can be found here. It follows an incident last month where an out-of-control taxi hit 23-year-old British tourist, Sian Green, who had her left leg was severed. Green was released from ICU at Bellevue Hospital this week and has started rehabilitation to learn how to walk again.