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Q: My friends and I were having a discussion in my AP US Government class because our teacher was absent and we were bored. Anyway, one girl was telling me how, if you're not legally certified and you were to, for example, give someone CPR or the heimlich maneuver, even if you save their life, they can sue you...
She said once she was lifeguarding at a club and somehow a pingpong table fell over on a young girl and the parents wanted to sue for emotional damages or something like that. They club had to settle because their lawyer said the lawsuit could win. I just have 2 questions...

How is it legal that you could sue someone for saving your life just because they weren't certified to do so?
How is it moral to do that? Your life (or child's life) was SAVED, how are you going to morally justify suing someone... are you that cheap and can you possibly want money that much?

I suppose I might understand if someone performed one of those and the person died because (and it should be proved) it was done incorrectly... but come on.

How is this legal? I plan on asking my teacher next time I see him, but I was just curious as to what laws would justify this.

It's not. Your friend clearly knows nothing of the Good Samaritan Law, which protects those people who try to help out in the case of an emergency when someone else's life is on the line. It is intended to increase the involvement of those who are afraid to give help for fear of worsenning the situation. In other countries this law requires bystanders to assist, unless doing so would endanger themselves. Same as voting in the US, a responsibility, not a requirement. The bystanders do, however, need the consent of the one in danger to proceed, but there's implied consent if that person is unconscious.

Rating: 5

Oh, okay. I still don't understand how the people were able to take legal action when my friend took the pingpong table off of the girl it fell on - I may not have clarified that though.

bio

I'm Mecca and i live in the UK, whereabouts you'll never know for certain. My hobbies are polo, singing, reading, and playing with my little brothers. I hope I can help you to any extent with your problems! So many of you have sure helped me with some of mine.