What is the Good Samaritan law in Mississippi?
Full Question:
I helped a person who broke his arm in an accident. I called an ambulance and took him to the hospital. This person has recovered from his injury. However, he is demanding compensation from me for leaving behind his wallet and other valuables. He says he has lost a lot of money due to my negligence. Am I liable for his loss?
04/04/2017 | Category: Helping People » Good Samarit… | State: Mississippi | #35122
Answer:
No, you are not responsible for any loss that happened while you were trying to help this person. You failed to collect his wallet and other valuables but that was when in good faith you were trying to take this person to the hospital so that his broken arm could be treated. The Good Samaritan law provides that if a person tries to help another person then he cannot be held liable for any civil damages unless gross negligence can be proved. Therefore, you can always take the protection of GS law prevailing in Mississippi.
Here is the law for more details.
Miss. Code Ann. § 41-60-33 :
Requirements and training for use of automated external defibrillator
Any person may use an automated external defibrillator for the purpose of saving the life of another person in sudden cardiac death, subject to the following requirements:
(a) A Mississippi licensed physician must exercise medical control authority over the person using the AED to ensure compliance with requirements for training, emergency medical services (EMS) notification and maintenance;
(b) The person using the AED must have received appropriate training in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and in the use of an AED by the American Heart Association, American Red Cross, National Safety Council or other nationally recognized course in CPR and AED use;
(c) The AED must not operate in a manual mode except when access control devices are in place or when appropriately licensed individuals such as registered nurses, physicians or emergency medical technician-paramedics utilize the AED; and
(d) Any person who renders emergency care or treatment on a person in sudden cardiac death by using an AED must activate the EMS system as soon as possible, and report any clinical use of the AED to the licensed physician.
Miss. Code Ann. § 73-25-37 :
Liability of physician, dentist, nurse, emergency medical technician, etc., for rendering emergency care; immunity from civil liability for good faith use of automated external defibrillator by person untrained in its use; immunity from civil liability for good faith use of auto-injectable epinephrine by trained school personnel
(1) No duly licensed, practicing physician, physician assistant, dentist, registered nurse, licensed practical nurse, certified registered emergency medical technician, or any other person who, in good faith and in the exercise of reasonable care, renders emergency care to any injured person at the scene of an emergency, or in transporting the injured person to a point where medical assistance can be reasonably expected, shall be liable for any civil damages to the injured person as a result of any acts committed in good faith and in the exercise of reasonable care or omissions in good faith and in the exercise of reasonable care by such persons in rendering the emergency care to the injured person.
(2) (a) Any person who in good faith, with or without compensation, renders emergency care or treatment by the use of an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) in accordance with the provisions of Sections 41-60-31 through 41-60-35, as well as the person responsible for the site where the AED is located if the person has provided for compliance with the provisions of Sections 41-60-31 through 41-60-35, shall be immune from civil liability for any personal injury as a result of that care or treatment, or as a result of any act, or failure to act, in providing or arranging further medical treatment, where the person acts as an ordinary, reasonably prudent person would have acted under the same or similar circumstances and the person’s actions or failure to act does not amount to willful or wanton misconduct or gross negligence.
(b) A person who has not complied with the provisions of Sections 41-60-31 through 41-60-35, but who has access to an AED and uses it in good faith in an emergency as an ordinary prudent person would have done in the same or similar circumstances, shall be immune from civil liability for any personal injury as a result of an act or omission related to the operation of or failure to operate an AED if the person’s actions or failure to act do not amount to willful or wanton misconduct or gross negligence.
(3) Any employee of a local public school district, a private school, or parochial school, trained in the administration of auto-injectable epinephrine, who provides, administers, or assists in the administration of auto-injectable epinephrine, in accordance with the provisions of Section 37-11-71, to a student believed in good faith to be having an anaphylactic reaction, shall be immune from civil liability for any personal injury as a result of that care or treatment if the employee’s actions or failure to act do not amount to willful or wanton misconduct or gross negligence.
(4) The immunity from civil liability for any personal injury under subsection (2) of this section includes the licensed physician who authorizes, directs or supervises the installation or provision of AED equipment in or on any premises or conveyance other than a medical facility, the owner of the premises where an AED is used, the purchaser of the AED, a person who uses an AED during an emergency for the purpose of attempting to save the life of another person who is or who appears to be in cardiac arrest, and the person who provides the CPR and AED training.
(5) The immunity from civil liability for any personal injury under subsection (3) of this section includes the licensed physician who prescribes the auto-injectable epinephrine, the school district, or any other entity, that legally obtained the auto-injectable epinephrine, and the person who provides the training in the administration of auto-injectable epinephrine.
(6) The immunity from civil liability under subsection (2) and subsection (3) of this section does not apply if the personal injury results from the gross negligence or willful or wanton misconduct of the person rendering the emergency care.
(7) Except in cases of gross negligence or willful misconduct, civil immunity shall apply to any licensed physician or licensed pharmacist who prescribes or makes recommendation to an eligible patient regarding prescription for or treatment with an investigational drug, biological product or device under the provisions of Section 41-131-1, and the State Board of Medical Licensure and/or the State Board of Pharmacy, as the case may be, shall be prohibited from taking any adverse action against the license of such physician or pharmacist based solely on the physician’s action under the provisions of Section 41-131-1.