{"Volunteer health care provider":"Includes both active and retired members of the following professions: physicians, physician assistants, registered nurses, advanced nurse practitioners, pharmacists, podiatrists, optometrists, physical and occupational therapists, audiologists and their assistants, speech-language pathologists and their assistants, and social workers."}
Emergency Law Inventory | Full Law Text

Law Number

Tex. Civ. Prac. & Rem. Code 84.004(c)

Summary Title

Liability: Volunteer Health Care Provider

Summary

A volunteer health care provider who works for a charitable organization and treats patients within the volunteer health care provider’s scope of practice will not be held legally responsible. The volunteer health care provider must have the patient or other authorized individual sign a consent form acknowledging that the volunteer health care provider’s free services come with added protection from being held legally responsible. They can be held legally responsible if acting with extreme carelessness or intent to cause harm. The volunteer health care provider can be held legally responsible if injury, death, or damage to property is caused by the volunteer health care provider’s operation of a motor vehicle.

Full Title

Volunteer Liability

Full Text

(c) Except as provided by Subsection (d) and Section 84.007, a volunteer health care provider who is serving as a direct service volunteer of a charitable organization is immune from civil liability for any act or omission resulting in death, damage, or injury to a patient if: (1) the volunteer commits the act or omission in the course of providing health care services to the patient; (2) the services provided are within the scope of the license of the volunteer; and (3) before the volunteer provides health care services, the patient or, if the patient is a minor or is otherwise legally incompetent, the person responsible for the patient signs a written statement that acknowledges: (A) that the volunteer is providing care that is not administered for or in expectation of compensation; and (B) the limitations on the recovery of damages from the volunteer in exchange for receiving the health care services.

Save as PDF Back to Laws