NH Law About ...: Good Samaritans: Read About The Law ...

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New Hampshire Websites

Volunteers and Liability: An Overview of Legal Protections and Municipal Exposure. (New Hampshire Town and City, March 2007)
At the state level, the legislature has acted to protect volunteers in a series of statutes found in RSA 508. The “Good Samaritan" statute at RSA 508:12 protects persons, including law enforcement officers, who render immediate aid and assistance to the victim of a crime, delinquent act, or a person injured during an emergency from liability so long as the person receives no compensation for the care, and acts to place the victim into the care of a physician or other qualified person as soon as possible.

Books About New Hampshire Law

Books written about the law, like Local Government Law and Personal Injury, have indexes, of course, but they also have other resources, or finding aids, that will help you to find information on your topic. We used one, called the Table of Statutes, to find more information for this guide. A Table of Statutes is a list of the statutes discussed in a law book. We looked up RSA 508:12 in the Table of Statutes and found several helpful sections. Using these tables can be a valuable, accurate way to quickly locate relevant discussions of legal concepts.

Local Government Law by Peter J. Loughlin
Call Number: KFN1280 .N48
ISBN: 9780327010180
Publication Date: 2011

See section 1036: Good Samaritan Immunity.
Personal Injury, Tort, and Insurance Practice by Richard B. McNamara
Call Number: KFN1280 .N48 v.8-9. 2015
Publication Date: 2015

See section 9.42: Persons Providing Emergency Aid and Chapter 4: Negligence Generally.

Other Websites of Interest

AED Brands, Inc. AED State Laws
All fifty states have enacted laws and/or regulations requiring that public gathering places have AEDs available. Most of these laws allow a "Good Samaritan" exemption from liability for any individual who renders emergency treatment with a defibrillator. Click on your state to view AED legislation summaries and requirements.
FindLaw. Accidents and Injuries. Specific Legal Duties
Statutes that provide immunity from liability for people who assist others are called "Good Samaritan" laws. They are intended to encourage people to help others in need without having to worry about being sued if their help causes injury (or further injury) -- though acts that are found to be willfully "wanton" or "reckless" may not be immune from liability. Good Samaritan laws in most states still generally follow the legal rule that passersby do not have a duty to rescue others in need.
NCSL. Drug Overdose Immunity and Good Samaritan Laws (6/15/2017)
To encourage people to seek out medical attention for an overdose or for follow-up care after naloxone has been administered, 40 states and the District of Columbia have enacted some form of a Good Samaritan or 911 drug immunity law. These laws generally provide immunity from arrest, charge or prosecution for certain controlled substance possession and paraphernalia offenses when a person who is either experiencing an opiate-related overdose or observing one calls 911 for assistance or seeks medical attention. State laws are also increasingly providing immunity from violations of pretrial, probation or parole conditions and violations of protection or restraining orders.

Other Books of Interest

The Law of Torts by Dan B. Dobbs; Paul T. Hayden; Ellen M. Bublick
Call Number: KF1250 .D6 2011
ISBN: 9780314184245
Publication Date: 2011
Understanding Torts by John L. Diamond; Lawrence C. Levine; Anita Bernstein
Call Number: KF1250 .D5 2018
ISBN: 9781531009755
Publication Date: 2018

Disclaimer

Please remember that this guide is for information purposes only and is not comprehensive. It is intended as a starting point for research, to illustrate the various sources of the law, and to provide guidance in their use. NH Law About ... is not a substitute for the services of an attorney.