Texas Good Samaritan Laws

Im

gine you’

e t

veling to

o

k one mo

ning

nd

e suddenly involved in

tffic

ccident. You’

e conscious, but you need medic

l

ttention.

hile EMS is on the

y to the scene of the

ccident,

byst

ndeemoves you f

om you

vehicle,

nd in the p

ocess, you

he

d st

ikes the c

f

me. You suffe

concussion.

This good S

mit

n me

nt

ell, but they c

used

n inju

y

hile they

e

e t

ying to help you.

hile it’s t

ue you m

y not h

ve suffe

ed

concussion if they h

d not “inte

fe

ed,” unde

Tex

s good S

mit

n l

s, they likely c

nnot be held fin

nci

lly li

ble fo

youddition

l inju

ies.

e

d on fo deepe

expl

n

tion!

h

t Is the Tex

s Good S

m

it

n L?<

h2>
Unde

<

h

ef="https:

/st

tutes.c

pitol.tex

s.gov

Docs/CP/htm/CP.74.htm” t

get=”_bl

nk"

el=”nofollo

noopene

“> Tex

s Civil Pctice

nd

emedies Code § 74.15<>,

ell-intentioned individu

ls

cting in good f

ith e f

ee f

om civil d

m

ges. Specific

lly, the st

tute

e

ds: “

pe

son

ho in good f

ith

dministe

s eme

gency c

e

t the scene of

n eme

gency o

in

hospit

l is not li

ble in civil d

m

ges fon

ct pe

fo

med du

ing the eme

gency unless the

ct is

illfully o

ntonly negligent.” Intentions m

tte

. In ou

ex

mple

bove, the bottom line is th

t the pe

son

s

cting in good f

ith

nd displ

ying conce

n fo

you

s

fety.

h

t

e Good S

mit

n Disputes?

Seve

l types of disputes c

n ise f

om

good S

m

it

n

ende

ing

id.

Some of the mo

e common scenios include:

• -level=”1″>
  to

  t

  uck d

  ive

  d

  m

  ges you

  c

  t the scene of the

  ccident – The to

  t

  uck d

  ive

  c

  n be held

  ccount

  ble bec

  use they

  e

  e

  t the scene of the

  ccident

  s

  me

  ns of getting business. This holds t

  ue

  egdless of

  hethe

  they

  e

  e c

  lled to the scene by you, by l

  enfo

  cement, o

  just h

  ppened upon the scene.<

  li>

• i
  -level="1">You

  vehicle is on fi

  e

  nd

  n untined byst

  nde

  helps you esc

  pe, but b

  e

  ks you

  leg in the p

  ocess – In this u

  gent situ

  tion, the byst

  nde

  c

  nnot be held

  esponsible fo

  you

  b

  oken leg. They

  e

  e

  cting in good f

  ith, they

  cted

  e

  son

  bly,

  nd they m

  y h

  ve even p

  evented

  mo

  e se

  ious inju

  y.<

  li>

• i
  -level="1">You get

  c

  mp

  hile s

  imming

  t the gym

  nd

  ind up unde

  te

  nely d

  o

  ning.

  docto

  ho is

  lso

  t the gym helps you out of the pool

  nd pe

  fo

  ms CP

  . In the p

  ocess, they b

  e

  k t

  o

  ibs

  nd you

  lung is punctu

  ed – Most likely, this docto

  c

  n be held li

  ble fo

  you

  ddition

  l inju

  ies since they

  e p

  ofession

  lly t

  ined to de

  l

  ith p

  tients in dist

  ess.

  t

  minimum, the

  e is

  n expect

  tion

  physici

  n

  ould be t

  ined to give CP

  p

  ope

  ly

  ithout c

  using

  ddition

  l hm to the p

  tient.

  hile the docto

  h

  d no ill intention, they still f

  iled to pe

  fo

  m p

  ope

  ly.

e The

e Exceptions to the Good S

m

it

n L in Tex

s?

Ne

ly

ll ls h

ve exceptions,

nd sometimes the

e

e g

y

e

s th

t c

n c

use p

oblems

hen you

e filing

n

ccident cl

im. Ho

eve

, the

e

e ve

y specific exceptions to Tex

s good S

mit

n l

s. These include:

• i
  -level="1">

  pe

  son

  ho c

  uses inju

  y due to negligence

• i
  -level="1">Someone

  ho

  sks fo

  money befo

  e helping<

  li>

• i
  -level="1">Someone

  t the scene soliciting business

• i
  -level="1">Someone

  ho h

  s

  he

  lth ce pctice (like

  n

  dmitting o

  t

  e

  ting physici

  n)<

  li>

ny time you e in

n

ccident

nd

byst

nde

ho

ende

ed

id c

used you to suffe

n

ddition

l inju

y, you should spe

k

ith

c

ccident

tto

ney

ho h

s

tho

ough unde

st

nding of Tex

s good S

mit

n st

tutes.

t-F

ult D

ive

s

nd Good S

mit

n

cts<

h2>
Gene

lly, the

e is

n ope

to

ho is conside

ed

t f

ult fon

ccident. In some c

ses, the pe

son

esponsible fo

the

ccident suffe

s less se

ious inju

ies th

n the p

ssenge

s involved in the othe

vehicle.

e e often

sked if the pe

son

ho c

used the

ccident in the fi

st pl

ce c

n

lso be held

esponsible foddition

l inju

ies c

used by

ttempting to

ende

id to

victim. The

ns

e

is yes.

The

e

son this is diffe

ent f

om most good S

mit

n situ

tions is bec

use the d

ive

s

l

e

dy

t f

ult fo

the

ccident. If they c

used fu

the

h

m—such

s

concussion, b

oken m, o

disloc

ted joint f

om ext

cting the inju

ed d

ive

f

om thei

vehicle—they c

n be held li

ble fo

the inju

ies

hich

esult f

om such ext

ction.

The inju

y cl

im you initi

lly file

ould be fo

inju

ies suffe

ed du

ing

n

ccident o

s

di

ect

esult of the

ccident. Ho

eve

,

ny inju

ies you suffe

ed bec

use the

t-f

ult d

ivettempted to

ende

id

e not

di

ect

esult of the

ccident. The

efo

e you m

y h

ve

sep

te c

se

nd the pe

son m

y be held civilly li

ble fo

the

ddition

l inju

ies c

used

hile

ende

ing

id.

hen Good S

m

it

n Ls Do Not P

otect People

ende

ing

id<

h2>

hile the good S

m

it

n ls e designed to p

otect

pe

son

ho is

ende

ing

id, such

id must h

ve the ultim

te go

l of p

otecting the he

lth, s

fety, o

life of the pe

son

ho is

eceiving the

id. Ho

eve

, if the S

mit

n is not

cting in good f

ith, o

if theictions e g

ossly negligent, they c

n still be held civilly li

ble fo

theictions. Befo

e dete

mining th

t

S

m

it

n c

used h

m fo

hich you should hold them

ccount

ble, you must

sk:

• -level=”1″> ong>

  e

  e the

  ctions

  e

  son

  ble?<

  st

  ong> If in the p

  ocess of

  ende

  ing

  id the good S

  m

  it

  n does not

  ct

  e

  son

  bly, they m

  y be held civilly li

  ble.

  n ex

  mple of this

  ould be ext

  cting

  n unconscious pe

  son f

  om

  vehicle

  nd le

  ving them lying in the

  o

  d

  y

  he

  e they could potenti

  lly be st

  uck by

  nothe

  vehicle.

  hile the

  ct of

  emoving them f

  om the c

  is

  e

  son

  ble,

  judge o

  ju

  y m

  y not deem thei

  le

  ving

  n unconscious victim in the

  o

  d

  y

  s

  e

  son

  ble.

• i
  -level="1">ong>

  s the

  ction negligent?<

  st

  ong> In some c

  ses,

  pe

  son coming to the scene of

  n

  ccident

  s

  good S

  mit

  n h

  s the best of intentions but m

  kes

  negligent decision. Fo

  ex

  mple,

  h

  t if the pe

  son they ext

  ct f

  om the vehicle is clely in p

  in

  nd in the moment, the S

  m

  it

  n extcts

  p

  inkille

  f

  om thei

  pocket—one leg

  lly obt

  ined

  nd p

  esc

  ibed to them—

  nd

  dministe

  s it to the victim? Tu

  ns out the victim is

  lle

  gic to th

  t specific medic

  tion, h

  s

  n immedi

  te

  e

  ction,

  nd then loses thei

  life. This

  ction is negligent

  nd the

  efo

  e the S

  mit

  n

  ould not be p

  otected unde

  the Tex

  s Good S

  mit

  n l

  s.

• i
  -level="1">ong>

  s the

  ction

  illful o

  nton conduct?<

  st

  ong> “nton conduct” is

  te

  m th

  t

  ill genelly be

  pplied in c

  ses

  he

  e

  medic

  l p

  ofession

  l s

  ende

  ing

  id

  t the scene of

  n

  ccident,

  lthough it could

  lso

  pply to

  l

  ype

  son.

  n ex

  mple

  ould be if

  pe

  son

  ho is

  dministe

  ing CP

  suddenly stops,

  esulting in the de

  th of the victim. In these c

  ses, the nton oillful conduct is stopping CP

  simply bec

  use the pe

  son

  ende

  ing the

  id is no longe

  inte

  ested. (In c

  ses

  he

  e it becomes cle

  it is not

  o

  king, o

  the pe

  son

  ende

  ing CP

  is exh

  usted, the conduct

  ould not be conside

  ed

  illful o

  nton.)

If you

e

e

victim of

n

ccident

nd the

e s inte

vention

t the scene by

pe

son

ho

s not

n EMS o

l

enfo

cement office

, you m

y h

ve

c

use of

ction despite good S

m

it

n ls in Tex

s.

Getting Help

ften

ccident

Follo

ing

ny type of

o

d

y

ccident, it’s impo

t

nt to p

otect you

self

nd p

otect you

f

mily.

eg

dless of

hethe

you

e

victim o su

vivo

ho lost

loved one, it is impo

t

nt fo

you to unde

st

nd you

ights

nd m

ke su

e you kno

you

leg

l options.

If the

ccident

ende

ed

victim inc

p

cit

ted

nd

“good S

m

it

n” byst

nde

s involved in

ny

ction

hich

esulted in

ddition

l hm o

inju

ies, you should

lso disclose this to you

lye

. You

tto

ney c

n help you dete

mine if theictions e p

otected unde

Tex

s good S

mit

n l

s o

if they e excluded due to one of the exceptions.

hy It M

tte

s if You Spe

k

ith

Lyeften

ccident

Sometimes,

fte c

ccident,

victim believes they should simply file

n

ccident cl

im

nd it fo

the settlement info

m

tion to be sent to them. Too often, victims settle fo

the fi

st offe

they get f

om

c

ccident cl

im. Let’s f

ce it, follo

ing

se

ious c

ccident, you’

e p

ob

bly out of

o

k, t

pping into you

s

vings,

nd const

ntly conce

ned

bout you

f

mily’s fin

nci

l futu

e. It’s

ll too tempting to

ccept the fi

st offe

n insu

e

m

kes. Ho

eve

, this

ould be

mist

ke. Insu

nce cl

ims e complic

ted. Follo

ing

c

ccident you e li

ble to he

f

om multiple insunce

djuste

s, one h

ndling you

medic

l cl

im

nd one h

ndling the cl

im fo

the d

m

ge to you

vehicle.

Even

hen the<

h

ef="https:

/c

inju

yvictims.com

sec

ets-st

te-f

m-c

–

ccident-cl

ims-h

ndling-exposed

” t

get=”_bl

nk"

el=”noopene

"> insunce comp

ny is cl

iming to be

good neighbo

,<> they e not going to m

ke

g

e

t offe

to you initi

lly (if they m

ke

n offet

ll!)

In most c

ses, thei

t

ctics go something like this:

• -level=”1″>
  ssign you

  cl

  im to

  te

  m

  ho is going to do thei

  level best to p

  y you

  s little

  s possible

• i
  -level="1">

  ttempt to convince you

  eco

  ded st

  tement is “st

  ndd” (it is not,

  nd you

  e unde

  no oblig

  tion to p

  ovide such

  st

  tement)<

  li>

• i
  -level="1">

  equest

  ccess to

  ll of you

  medic

  l

  eco

  ds in

  n

  ttempt to p

  ove you

  inju

  ies

  e

  e p

  e-existing

• i
  -level="1">M

  ke

  lo

  -b

  ll offe

  in hopes you

  ill

  ccept it bec

  use of mounting expenses

  nd loss of income

• i
  -level="1">

  ttempt to convince you th

  t

  n

  tto

  ney is not necess

  y (they kno

  if you kno

  you

  ights, you

  ill be less likely to f

  ll fo

  thei

  t

  ctics!)<

  li>

Keep in mind, eve

y insunce comp

ny uses these methods of h

ndling eve

y cl

im. The hope is you

ill not kno

h

t leg

l

ights you h

ve,

nd you

ill

ccept

quick settlement. L

ngu

ge bu

ied in the fine p

int of the settlement

ill elimin

te

ll

ddition

l

isk fo

the insu

e

, so they get off the hook

eg

dless of ho

much it costs you to

ecove

f

om you

inju

ies.

Expe

ience in Tex

s Pe

son

l Inju

y L M

tte

s<

h2>

hile p

st success

ith pe

son

l inju

y c

ses does not me

n

lyeill get eve

y client

lge settlement, expe

ience still m

tte

s. Insu

nce comp

nies e mo

e likely to de

l in good f

ith

ith

n

tto

ney

ho kno

s ho

to spot the t

ctics they use to minimize

cl

im.

n

tto

ney c

n

lso de

l

ith complex c

ses

hich involve multiple insunce comp

nies—

hich

ould be the c

se if

good S

mit

n c

used

ddition

l inju

ies o

d

m

ge to you

vehicle.

Unde

<

h

ef="https:

/st

tutes.c

pitol.tex

s.gov

Docs/CP/htm/CP.16.htm” t

get=”_bl

nk"

el=”nofollo

noopene

“> Tex

s Civil Pctice &

mp;

emedies Code section 16.003<>

ccident victims

ho suffe

ed

n inju

y h

ve up to t

o ye

s to file

lsuit. ongful de

th l

suits must

lso be filed

ithin t

o yes, but the time fme begins

t the time of de

th,

hich could be v

stly diffe

ent f

om the d

te of the

ccident.

hile t

o yes m

y seem like

long time, you

nd you

lyeill need to go th

ough seve

l steps befo

e filing

l

suit, including but not limited, to:

• i
  -level="1"><

  h

  ef="https:

  /c

  inju

  yvictims.com

  tex

  s-c-

  ccident-

  epo

  ts/”>Obt

  ining

  ccident

  epo

  ts ><

  li>

• i
  -level="1"><

  h

  ef="https:

  /c

  inju

  yvictims.com

  impo

  t

  nce-getting-

  itness-st

  tements-c

  –

  ccident

  “>Getting

  itness st

  tements ><

  li>

• i
  -level="1">Getting expe

  ts to discuss the extent of you

  inju

  ies

• i
  -level="1">

  econst

  uction of the

  ccident

• i
  -level="1"><

  h

  ef="https:

  /c

  inju

  yvictims.com

  ho

  -c

  n-

  n-

  tto

  ney-help-g

  the

  -evidence-

  fte

  -

  -houston-c

  –

  ccident

  “>G

  the

  ing evidence ><

  li>

Don’t miss out on the compens

tion you e entitled to.

hen

good S

m

it

n is involved

nd thei

li

bility is in question, discuss thei

ole in you

inju

ies

ith

<

h

ef=”https://c

inju

yvictims.com

“>pe

son

l inju

y lye

.