Good Samaritans can be sued

[mikesilvia]

Think twice before pulling your best friend from a burning car!

Proving that no good deed goes unpunished, the state's high court on Thursday said a would-be Good Samaritan accused of rendering her friend paraplegic by pulling her from a wrecked car "like a rag doll" can be sued.

California's Supreme Court ruled that the state's Good Samaritan law only protects people from liability if the are administering emergency medical care, and that Lisa Torti's attempted rescue of her friend didn't qualify.

Justice Carlos Moreno wrote for a unanimous court that a person is not obligated to come to someone's aid.

"If, however, a person elects to come to someone's aid, he or she has a duty to exercise due care," he wrote.

[Gtbballer20]

wow thats just insane!?!?! I would just be happy to still be alive!!

[OnePimpTiger]

I read about that and it almost made me sick. Of course, I've heard of this stuff before. It's a sad state the world is in where people have to think twice about helping someone in dire need because they might be sued for it later. I wonder how long it will be until we hear about people standing by and watching someone die because they're afraid to help. Of course, some places have laws against that as well, that if you are able to help you have to or you can be arrested for not. And I'm sure the family could sue you if you stood by and didn't help as well. It's to the point where if you do see an accident or something like this to just run the other way ASAP and never be involved.

[cubsarelife]

that is pathetic, i can't stand hearing some of these rulings...

[TechMan]

your not supposed to move them unless you absolutley have to, like if the car was on fire or something.

I was in a bad wreck one winter, roads were a little slushy and pulled me and my friend in my mustang off the road head on into a tree. Was lucky to crawl away from that let alone with what little injuries we had. Car was totaled, my head hit the windshield coming very close to going all the way through, then came down and went down through the dashboard breaking a huge chunck out where my head went down through. First i thought it was my knee that did that, but the cuts omn my head matched the hole. Friend hit the windshield as well.

Our firneds who were folowwing stoped at the accident and my friend was already out of the car and i was craw;ing out of the passengers side door, so they tried to help me out, an ambulance worker who happened to be going by stopped and yelled at them ripping them a new one for touching me. (I cant remember any of this i was out cold in the snow bank. Woke up laying in the snow bank with like 2o people around me asking if i was ok, my main concern was where is my friend is he ok. Besides a few cuts and brusies and a sore body for a week we were both fine, but i dont have that great of a memory and the ysay the meory portion is the front part of your brain, so they think it may have been damaged slightly.

[11chaos]

Yes, this also upsets me. You know if you are found to be driving by and have a CPR cert and don't stop you can also be sued maybe even charged

[FootballCardFreak]

that's sad.

[spuds1961]

I know that one Bill,That's why when I have to buy something after work I always take off my ambulance uniform.You would be amazed how many people will ask me medical questions in the stores when I have my uniform on.Take care Steve

[MiniHelmets]

I was a lifeguard for the chicago park district for 3 years in high school and we were told that if we were off duty and seen a accident and the person need cpr DONOT anounse that you are certified because if the person died we could be held liable.Now if the average joe pulled up and performed cpr aqnd the person died nothing could happen to him because he was just being a good samaritian..Doesnt make sence but the lawyers always win

[cubsarelife]

I was a lifeguard for the chicago park district for 3 years in high school and we were told that if we were off duty and seen a accident and the person need cpr DONOT anounse that you are certified because if the person died we could be held liable.Now if the average joe pulled up and performed cpr aqnd the person died nothing could happen to him because he was just being a good samaritian..Doesnt make sence but the lawyers always win

No, actually I am pretty sure the good Samaritan law does not protect uncertified people who perform CPR