Protection against liability for emergency medical services providers
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5055/jem.2010.0015Keywords:
liability, legal, negligence, emergency medical services providers, immunityAbstract
Emergency medical services (EMS) providers must often provide medical assistance without adequate time and resources. To encourage EMS providers not to be fearful of negligence lawsuits when they provide treatment, many states have enacted laws that protect them from civil liability. However, these laws provide immunity only under certain conditions. This article describes these conditions under which the immunity statutes generally operate.References
Prosser WL, Keeton WP, Dobbs DB, et al.: On the Law of Torts. 5th ed. St. Paul, MN:West Publishing Co.; 1984.
Minn Stat Ann §604A.01 (2000) (West Supp 2009).
RI Gen Laws §11-56-1 (2002).
Vt Stat Ann tit 12, §519 (2002).
Hyman DA: Rescue without law: An empirical perspective on the duty to rescue. Tex L Rev. 2006; 84(3): 653-738.
Hafter JL, Fedor VL: EMS and the Law. Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett Publishers, 2004: 49.
Wiggins CO: Ambulance malpractice and immunity. J Leg Med. 2003; 24(3): 359-377.
Harper FV, James F, Gray OS: On the Law of Torts. 3rd ed. Vol. 4. New York: Aspen Publishers, 2007: §16.15: 10-18.
Dobbs DB: The Law of Torts. St. Paul, MN: West Group; 2000: §147: 10.
Bennett v Labenz, 265 Neb 750, 659 NW2d 339 (2003).
Drake v Drake, 260 Neb 530, 618 NW2d 650 (2000).
Jennings v Southwood, 446 Mich 125, 521 NW2d 230 (1994).
Ambrose v New Orleans Police Dept Ambulance Svc, 639 So2d 216 (La 1994).
Denham v New Carlisle, 138 Ohio App 3d 439, 741 NE2d 587 (2000).
Wright v Los Angeles, 219 Cal App 3d 318, 268 Cal Rptr 309 (1990).
Am Nat’l Bank & Trust Co v Chicago, 192 Ill2d 274, 248 Ill Dec 900, 735 NE2d 551 (2000).
De Tarquino v Jersey City, 352 NJ Super 450, 800 A2d 255 (App Div 2002).
210 Ill Comp Stat 50/3.150 (2000).
Brock v Anderson Rd Ass’n, 287 Ill App 3d 16, 222 Ill Dec 451, 677 NE2d 985 (1997).
Tornabene v Paramedics Svcs of Ill, Inc, 314 Ill App 3d 494, 505, 247 Ill Dec 192, 201, 731 NE2d 965, 974 (2000).
American Nat’l Bank & Trust Co v Chicago, 192 Ill2d, 274, 284, 248 Ill Dec 900, 905-906, 735 NE2d 551, 556-557 (2000).
Iowa Code §147A.10 (2005).
La Rev Stat Ann §40:1233 (2008).
Mass Gen Laws ch. 111C, §20 (2003).
Rathey v Priority EMS, Inc, 894 So 2d 438 (La Ct App 2005).
Anderson v Little & Davenport Funeral Home, 242 Ga 751, 753, 251 SE2d 250, 252 (1978).
Bixler v Merritt, 244 Ga App 82, 534 SE2d 837 (2000).
Lauder v Teaneck Volunteer Ambulance Corps, 368 NJ Super 320, 845 A2d 1271 (App Div 2004).
McCabe v Lynn, 875 F Supp 53 (D Mass 1995), rev’d on other grounds sub nom McCabe v Life-Line Ambulance Svc, Inc, 77 F3d 540 (1st Cir 1996).
Oberstein NS: Note. Cal L Rev. 1963; 51(4): 816-822.
Kearney PW: Why doctors are “bad” Samaritans. Reader’s Digest. 1963: 87-90.
Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code §2395 (2003).
Emergency System for Advance Registration of Volunteer Health Professionals (ESAR-VHP): Legal and regulatory issues.Washington, DC: 2006 (Draft). Available at http://www.publichealthlaw.net/ Research/PDF/ESAR%20VHP%20Report.pdf. Accessed April 28, 2010.
Mapel FB III, Weigel CJ II: Good Samaritan laws—Who needs them?: The current state of Good Samaritan protection in the United States. S Tex L J. 1981; 21(3): 327-354.
Kearns v Superior Court, 204 Cal App 3d 1325, 1328, 252 Cal Rptr 4, 6 (1988).
Jackson v Mercy Health Center, Inc, 864 P2d 839, 845 (Okla 1993).
Eoff v Hal & Charlie Peterson Foundation, 811 SW2d 189, 190 (Tex App 1991).
East Chicago v Litera, 692 NE2d 898 (Ind App 1998).
James v Rowe, 674 F Supp 332 (D Kan 1987).
Fla Stat §768.13 (2005).
Miss Code Ann §73-25-37 (2008).
Willard v. Vicksburg, 571 So 2d 972 (Miss 1990).
Wozniak FJ: Annotation, liability for negligence of ambulance attendants, emergency medical technicians, and the like, rendering emergency medical care outside hospital. Am Law Rep. 1993; 16 (Supp 2009): 605-649.
National Ass’n of EMTs: EMT Code of Ethics. Available at http://www.jems.com/resources/EMT_Code_of_Ethics.html. Accessed April 28, 2010.
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright 2007-2023, Weston Medical Publishing, LLC and Journal of Emergency Management. All Rights Reserved