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Emergency Law Inventory | Full Law Text

Law Number

D.C. Code 7-401(a)

Summary Title

Good Samaritan Law

Summary

An individual who, in good faith and without compensation, provides care or assistance at a scene of an emergency or accident will not be held legally responsible for acting or failing to act. They can be held legally responsible if acting with extreme carelessness. An individual who is not licensed or certified by the District of Columbia to provide medical assistance must relinquish control of the care once a licensed or certified person arrives at the scene. Generally, Good Samaritan laws only offer protection for those individuals who provide care during spontaneous emergencies unrelated to volunteer deployment.

Full Title

Limitation on liability for medical care or assistance in emergency situations

Full Text

(a) Any person who in good faith renders emergency medical care or assistance to an injured person at the scene of an accident or other emergency in the District of Columbia outside of a hospital, without the expectation of receiving or intending to seek compensation from such injured person for such service, shall not be liable in civil damages for any act or omission, not constituting gross negligence, in the course of rendering such care or assistance. (b) In the case of a person who renders emergency medical care or assistance in circumstances described in subsection (a) of this section and who is not licensed or certified by the District of Columbia or by any state to provide medical care or assistance, the limited immunity provided in subsection (a) of this section shall apply to such persons; provided, that the person shall relinquish the direction of the care of the injured person when an appropriate person licensed or certified by the District of Columbia or by any state to provide medical care or assistance assumes responsibility for the care of the injured person.

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