woman sued because of saving friend's life
@doc_alma_jones (822)
Philippines
February 17, 2009 9:25am CST
in california, a woman tried to save her friend after a car accident. the friend then suffered from paraplegia (paralysis) because of "being dragged like a rag doll" and the woman who tried to act like a hero was charged with negligence.
the courts said that she was not covered by the Good Samaritan Law because the law refers to actions that deal with medical help (like CPR).
the woman insisted that she should still be protected by the law and she should be considered a good samaritan because if she didn't pull her friend out, her friend would have been dead.
what are your views on this? should the woman be sued? should the good samaritan law include people who pull out others from potentially deadly circumstances?
would you risk having a stranger run to your aid with the potential of being inadvertently hurt in the process? or would you rather be saved only by competent individuals and risk not being saved at all if no competent person is around?
3 responses
@paula27661 (15811)
• Australia
18 Feb 09
There's thanks for you! Excuse me if I'm wrong but I have always believed that good human nature would have it that if someone is in any danger, especially if they could lose their life, you don't hesitate, you get in there and if you are able, you help the person, why would you not? I would much rather survive as a paraplegic than die! I certainly would not like the idea of someone being hurt while trying to save me but if there was any safe way for them to help me I sure would be grateful, not sue the person!
If the woman had dragged her friend out and there was no life threatening risk that's one thing, but to do so to stop her from dying? Is the world heading to a place where we will have to think twice before helping someone? I'm in disbelief that someone could be treated this way. 
1 person likes this
@doc_alma_jones (822)
• Philippines
18 Feb 09
well, the paraplegic friend argued that the car wasn't actually going to explode, and that if the woman simply sat with her and waited for the paramedics, she would still be walking today. since we don't know the exact circumstances, i'll assume that the woman actually thought the car was gonna go boom. after all, you don't drag out people from a car if you think it can wait, right?
oh well. that shows how no good deed goes unpunished. ;D
@zenki08 (700)
• Philippines
17 Feb 09
Well if this would be the case. Then nobody would even try to save someone. Anyway the person had good intentions, and probably did not want her friend to suffer any injuries but hey this was all an accident and nobody should blame the person who acted as a savior.
1 person likes this
@doc_alma_jones (822)
• Philippines
17 Feb 09
isn't it ironic that leaving the friend behind and watching her burn to ashes is actually NOT grounds for suing the woman, but saving her friend IS? :
@Arjen07 (164)
• Romania
17 Feb 09
This is ridiculous. I mean, I'm sorry for her friend but she's alive and even if she's now suffering from paraplegia, I still think her friend shouldn't be sued. She just tried to save her friends life, how on earth can you go to jail for such thing? I'm wondering what the judge would do if he saw his friend in an identical situation: "Please, save my life man", "I can't. If I hurt you I will not be covered by the Good Samaritan Law. See you in hell!"
1 person likes this
@doc_alma_jones (822)
• Philippines
17 Feb 09
HAHAHAHA
man, that would've been quite a scene!
yes, if other states and countries followed suit and people's attempts to save lives gone awry suddenly become good material for lawsuits, then there won't be anybody who'll want to save anyone...
it's just funny that the lawsuit was allowed to proceed because "pulling someone ot of the car" isn't "medical attention" and that the good samaritan law only covered "medical attention..." oh wow.
