Going From Good Samaritan To Not So Good Samaritan In California

MayorBob.

Posted to Legal on Tue Mar 27, 2007 at 01:59:12 PM EST (promoted by port1080). RSS.

If you've just witnessed an auto accident bad enough that air bags have deployed and there are still people inside the vehicle unable to get out, what do you do?  At the very least, most people would try to call 911 to get some emergency medical personnel on the scene.  But then, there are those who go the extra step and try to render some sort of assistance themselves.  These "Good Samaritans" proceed with the knowledge that, as long as they aren't looking to be compensated for their actions, they will be sheltered from liability by the law.  As a matter of fact the laws that are supposed to protect them are called Good Samaritan laws.  But, are there limits to how much protection Good Samaritans can expect?  Yes, in the mind of three judges in the Third Division of the California Court of Appeals, ruled that Good Samaritans better know they are actually providing emergency medical care or they become Not So Good Samaritans.  

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