State of Connecticut
Good Samaritan Laws
Conn. Gen. Stat. §52-557b
- Provides immunity to rescuers
- Encourages/requires CPR & AED training to AHA and ARC standards.
Sec. 52-557b. "Good samaritan law". Immunity from liability for emergency medical assistance, first aid or medication by injection. School personnel not required to administer or render.
- A person licensed to practice medicine and surgery under the
provisions of chapter 370 or dentistry under the provisions of section
20-106 or members of the same professions licensed to practice in any
other state of the United States, a person licensed as a registered nurse
under section 20-93 or 20-94 or certified as a licensed practical nurse
under section 20-96 or 20-97, a medical technician or any person
operating a cardiopulmonary resuscitator or a person trained in
cardiopulmonary resuscitation or in the use of an automatic external
defibrillator in accordance with the standards set forth by the American
Red Cross or American Heart Association, who, voluntarily and
gratuitously and other than in the ordinary course of such person's
employment or practice, renders emergency medical or professional
assistance to a person in need thereof, shall not be liable to such
person assisted for civil damages for any personal injuries which result
from acts or omissions by such person in rendering the emergency care,
which may constitute ordinary negligence. The immunity provided in this
subsection does not apply to acts or omissions constituting gross, wilful
or wanton negligence. For the purposes of this subsection, "automatic
external defibrillator" means a device that:
- Is used to administer an electric shock through the chest wall to the heart;
- contains internal decision-making electronics, microcomputers or special software that allows it to interpret physiologic signals, make medical diagnosis and, if necessary, apply therapy;
- guides the user through the process of using the device by audible or visual prompts; and
- does not require the user to employ any discretion or judgment in its use.
- A paid or volunteer firefighter or police officer, a teacher or other
school personnel on the school grounds or in the school building or at a
school function, a member of a ski patrol, a lifeguard, a conservation
officer, patrol officer or special police officer of the Department of
Environmental Protection, or emergency medical service personnel, who has
completed a course in first aid offered by the American Red Cross, the
American Heart Association, the National Ski Patrol, the Department of
Public Health or any director of health, as certified by the agency or
director of health offering the course, and who renders emergency first
aid to a person in need thereof, shall not be liable to such person
assisted for civil damages for any personal injuries which result from
acts or omissions by such person in rendering the emergency first aid,
which may constitute ordinary negligence. No paid or volunteer
firefighter, police officer or emergency medical service personnel who
forcibly enters the residence of any person in order to render emergency
first aid to a person whom such firefighter, police officer or emergency
medical service personnel reasonably believes to be in need thereof shall
be liable to such person for civil damages incurred as a result of such
entry. The immunity provided in this subsection does not apply to acts or
omissions constituting gross, wilful or wanton negligence.
- An employee of a railroad company, including any company operating a
commuter rail line, who has successfully completed a course in first aid,
offered by the American Red Cross, the American Heart Association, the
National Ski Patrol, the Department of Public Health or any director of
health, as certified by the agency or director of health offering the
course, and who renders emergency first aid or cardiopulmonary
resuscitation to a person in need thereof, shall not be liable to such
person assisted for civil damages for any personal injury or death which
results from acts or omissions by such employee in rendering the
emergency first aid or cardiopulmonary resuscitation which may constitute
ordinary negligence. The immunity provided in this subsection does not
apply to acts or omissions constituting gross, wilful or wanton
negligence.
- A railroad company, including any commuter rail line, which provides
emergency medical training or equipment to any employee granted immunity
pursuant to subsection (c) of this section shall not be liable for civil
damages for any injury sustained by a person or for the death of a person
which results from the company's acts or omissions in providing such
training or equipment or which results from acts or omissions by such
employee in rendering emergency first aid or cardiopulmonary
resuscitation, which may constitute ordinary negligence. The immunity
provided in this subsection does not apply to acts or omissions
constituting gross, wilful or wanton negligence.
-
- For purposes of this subsection, "cartridge injector" means an
automatic prefilled cartridge injector or similar automatic
injectable equipment used to deliver epinephrine in a standard dose
for emergency first aid response to allergic reactions.
- Any volunteer worker associated with, or any person employed to
work for, a program offered to children sixteen years of age or
younger by a corporation, other than a licensed health care
provider, that is exempt from federal income taxation under Section
501 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, or any subsequent
corresponding internal revenue code of the United States, as from
time to time amended, who:
- has been trained in the use of a cartridge injector by a licensed physician, physician's assistant, advanced practice registered nurse or registered nurse,
- has obtained the consent of a parent or legal guardian to use a cartridge injector on his or her child, and
- uses a cartridge injector on such child in apparent need thereof participating in such program,
shall not be liable to such child assisted or to such child's parent or guardian for civil damages for any personal injury or death which results from acts or omissions by such worker in using a cartridge injector which may constitute ordinary negligence. The immunity provided in this subsection does not apply to acts or omissions constituting gross, wilful or wanton negligence.
- A corporation, other than a licensed health care provider, that
is exempt from federal income taxation under Section 501 of the
Internal Revenue Code of 1986, or any subsequent corresponding
internal revenue code of the United States, as from time to time
amended, which provides training in the use of cartridge injectors
to any volunteer worker granted immunity pursuant to subdivision
(2) of this subsection shall not be liable for civil damages for
any injury sustained by, or for the death of, a child sixteen years
of age or younger who is participating in a program offered by such
corporation, which injury or death results from acts or omissions
by such worker in using a cartridge injector, which may constitute
ordinary negligence. The immunity provided in this subsection does
not apply to acts or omissions constituting gross, wilful or wanton
negligence.
- For purposes of this subsection, "cartridge injector" means an
automatic prefilled cartridge injector or similar automatic
injectable equipment used to deliver epinephrine in a standard dose
for emergency first aid response to allergic reactions.
- A teacher or other school personnel, on the school grounds or in the
school building or at a school function, who has completed both a course
in first aid in accordance with subsection (b) of this section and a
course given by the medical advisor of the school or by a licensed
physician in the administration of medication by injection, who renders
emergency care by administration of medication by injection to a person
in need thereof, shall not be liable to the person assisted for civil
damages for any injuries which result from acts or omissions by the
person in rendering the emergency care of administration of medication by
injection, which may constitute ordinary negligence. The immunity
provided in this subsection does not apply to acts or omissions
constituting gross, wilful or wanton negligence.
- The provisions of this section shall not be construed to require any
teacher or other school personnel to render emergency first aid or
administer medication by injection.
(1963, P.A. 205; 1967, P.A. 282; 878; 1969, P.A. 785; 1971, P.A. 729; P.A. 75-132; 75-456, S. 1, 2; P.A. 77-225; 77-349, S. 3; 77-614, S. 323, 610; P.A. 78-122, S. 1, 2; P.A. 82-160, S. 224; 82-286; P.A. 83-375, S. 2; P.A. 84-546, S. 119, 173; P.A. 86-237, S. 1, 2; P.A. 87-589, S. 34, 87; P.A. 89-149; P.A. 93-381, S. 9, 39; P.A. 95-257, S. 12, 21, 58; P.A. 98-62, S. 1; P.A. 99-181, S. 13; P.A. 00-196, S. 36; June Sp. Sess. P.A. 01-4, S. 37, 58; P.A. 03-211, S. 10; P.A. 04-221, S. 27.)
Cited. 10 CA 86, 89.
Liability for gross negligence was not abolished by Good Samaritan Law. 48 CS 10.
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