November 21/2019

While some bystanders may fail to attempt CPR because they fear legal liability, the likelihood of facing litigation is higher for delaying or failing to intervene, according to preliminary research presented at the American Heart Association’s Resuscitation Science Symposium 2019 — November 16-17 in Philadelphia. Even though every state has “Good Samaritan” laws, which offer legal protection to people who give reasonable assistance to those who they believe to be injured or in peril, concerns about legal liability are common.
“The misgivings people express about being blamed for a bad outcome if they were to perform bystander CPR is essentially unfounded,” said the study’s lead author Travis Murphy, MD. “A person is much more likely to be taken to court for not providing CPR soon enough.” More…