Good Samaritans: Read About The Law ...

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.

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.

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.

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.