Good Samaritan Laws: Legal Protections

Can I Be Sued For Doing First Aid? | Good Samaritan Laws For First Aid

Hey guys, thanks for popping in for today's post. We are running through some more frequently asked questions when it comes to first aid, CPR, and AED. This is a question we get all the time from participants: if I'm providing care, if I'm trying to help someone, can I get sued? So the short answer to this question is yes, you can get sued for virtually anything these days. Regardless of the outcome, really the only thing that you really want to consider is that the risk of this is very low, and the reason for that is because we do have Good Samaritan laws in place. These laws generally cover people who act in goof faith to render care to an ill or injured person assuming all consent laws are followed.

I do recommend that you, specific to your state, double-check what the law states and reads. In general (and in Pennsylvania where our headquarters is located) we do have General Assembly Title 42, which states as long as you render care acting in good faith, you are not demonstrating gross negligence in your care, then you are covered under that law in which you are free of civil liabilities.

So, again, assuming you approach the scene of an injured person, obtain consent, and you provide care based on your scope of knowledge, and you're not demonstrating gross negligence... nine times out of ten you're not going to have an issue with lawsuits. That law is in place to protect Good Samaritans and bystanders who provide care, help, or get involved in any kind of care of a fellow citizen during emergencies.

Recommendation for you, just double-check your state laws. Make sure you read the language and interpret what's written in them. But the rule of thumb is that Good Samaritan law,s are in place to protect rescuers. So hopefully you guys enjoyed the post today and make sure you check those laws in your state.