Can You Be Sued for Saving Someone’s Life in Texas?

What happens when you crack someone's rib while giving CPR to someone who collapsed outside of your house? Can they sue you? In Texas, we have a special law that protects bystanders from legal punishment for saving someone's life, should an injury occur.

Texas Good Samaritan Law Explained

This is called the Good Samaritan Law, and it gets its name from the parable in the Bible where a man from Samaria (located in Israel) rendered aid to an injured traveler after numerous people passed by without a care.

The law offers legal protection to people who voluntarily provide aid and assistance to someone who is injured and in need of help. According to Varghese Summersett, a law firm in Texas, this was meant to encourage bystanders to help those in need without fearing that they would be held legally responsible for doing so.

In Good Faith and With Good Intent

The Good Samaritan Law only applies if the person rendering aid had good intentions and was not helping the injured person in order to be paid.

It its essence, bystanders who provide emergency care in good faith, even if they are untrained in medical care, will most likely receive legal protections from any harmful outcome that may arise from their actions.

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If I pull you out of a burning building but your wrist gets sprained in the process, as long as I was trying my best in getting you to safety, you likely cannot sue me for medical bills as a result.

Limitations to the Texas Good Samaritan Law

This is not a done deal. As I mentioned earlier, if the good Samaritan's actions were deemed reckless, negligent, or intentionally damaging, they are still subject to liability.

Also, if an individual or group renders aid to someone in need with the intention of soliciting or promoting their business, this law does not protect them if the injured person seeks penalties. This must be an act of kindness, not an act of opportunity.