Calif. Court: Would-be Good Samaritan can be sued

[William33 110]

Given the consensus here, if I am the first to roll by your serious car wreck, I will roll on...Now that's compassion for my fellow human being...

Freaking litigation, the damnation of us all....Whatever happened to the good Samaritan law......People do mean well at the core, especially in a crisis...

[natty bumppo 297]

Typical for California.

Also typical for the other 49.

- goofy law - I took first aid in college and learned that not only can you be sued for helping - once certified, you can be sued for not helping! Damned if you do and damned if you don't!

Conundrum!

It's really not so much a conundrum. You're tried by a jury of your peers ...

excellent advice.

I see someone has a severe case of cranial rectal inversion when it comes to what legal expenses can be ... yet there again it's CA ...

[ez2007 1]

When I got my driver's license, my husband reminded me again and again not to help any victim of car accidents on the road 'coz he said even if I'm an RN and had training on CPR, still, I could get sued by the family. If the victim dies before 911 personnel arrive, then let it be. . . .

Forget the Good Samaritan Law and the compassion or live on a cardboard box with lawsuits on my head.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Here's a good response from a blogger...

This article doesn't specifically address what the accusation in the case was. My guess is current law doesn't address non-medical assistance in cases of crisis which is how the accuser is phrasing their case. Further, the supreme court is generally obliged to hear cases concerning new/vague points of law. All the Cali Supremes said is they'll hear the case - not that the defendant is liable or at fault. I'm sure you'd appreciate it if it was your novel point of law you were trying to have heard. It's all in how the matter is presented... That said, the accuser certainly seems to be going for all the cash she can grab. I can only hope the defense argues the defendant was only there because of negligence on the accuser's part (by running into a tree, she caused the defendant to stop) and that the defendant should be reimbursed by the accuser for all costs plus a frivolous lawsuit surcharge ...

[NickD 203]

Just getting pulled into court can kill you financially, need to find an attorney that is better than the plaintiff's attorney. One tiny bit of help, the burden of proof lies with the plaintiff.

Call me cruel if you want, was stopped at a railroad crossing and an idiot pulls out around me and gets hit by that train, knocked his car way down into a valley, did yell down, are you still alive, did reply but stuck. Called 911 and left.

Now if it were my loved ones, would practically kill myself to save them. I personally do not believe in accidents as much as I believe in stupidity, and if you help an idiot, odds are, that SOB will try to sue you.