This is why people don't help people who get hurt.

[bogdana]

The news clip: Good Samaritan to be sued

The print story: Good Samaritan to be sued
Alexandra Van Horn claims that Lisa Torti pulled her out of the vehicle, which had just crashed into a lamp post at 45mph, "like a rag doll" and contributed to her injuries.

Miss Torti, who was travelling in the car behind, says she believed the wrecked vehicle was about to burst into flames.

In a landmark decision that critics have said only proves the maxim that no good deed goes unpunished, the court decided that California's Good Samaritan law only protects people from liability if they are administering emergency aid.

Justice Carlos Moreno noted in the ruling that people were not obligated to come to someone's aid but, if they did so, they had a "duty to exercise due care".

The 4-3 ruling was criticised by dissenting judges as "illogical" and that the legislation clearly aimed "to encourage persons not to pass by those in need of emergency help, but to show compassion and render the necessary aid".

The two women and three other staff from a San Fernando Valley department store had gone out to a bar on Halloween for a night of drinking and dancing, leaving at 1.30am in two cars. [BJ's note: gee, I wonder if they were intoxicated; then this whole case should be thrown out ]

Ms Van Horn's lawyers questioned why Ms Torti, having pulled her out by her shoulder, "dropped" her next to the car if she believed it was about to explode.

"The moral here is if you are rescuing or helping someone in an emergency, be sure and administer some medical care. Carry Band-Aids!" said Jim Porter, a California lawyer.

 

[The shbf]

I remember driving past a woman that was out cold on the pavement at about 4am and as much as you think you want to help you have to talk yourself out of it.

If a child is lost you dare not talk to them cause of how people would look at you.

You also then have the other part where a woman is getting beaten up by her partner and you go to help and she turns on you for hurting the partner or something.

We truly are sad people now which is a shame.

As a parent I hate the thought of something happening to my child and no one wanting to take a risk in helping him.

 

[tlm130]

It just doesn't help to be a hero these days, even good deeds will not go unpunished!

 

[Oh my god. it's Robby!]

f good deeds, its all about 'saintly ones'
those are ones you do and get 0 credit for while alive
God rewards people after they die for such most

 

[Arsenal]

Call 911. Aside from that, unless you are a trained paramedic, nurse or doctor, you might actually do more harm than good.

 

[Cassius]

This reminds me of something I read today. A man was fishing next to a bridge, and another man jumped off of it. He pulled the man out of the water, and performed CPR on him. He was so determined to help him that he even kept performing it on him after this stranger threw up in his mouth.

Of course the man died. When someone jumps off the water, most of the time they do not die instantly. Their bones break and their organs burst when they hit the water. So basically this man's insides where a big scrambled mess. Had that man not pulled him out he would have died a much painless death by drowning.

It's tempting to help someone, but the best you can do is call 911 unless you know what you are doing. I've heard of people trying to help other at car accidents and end up accidentally breaking their necks.

 

[j funk]

You also then have the other part where a woman is getting beaten up by her partner and you go to help and she turns on you for hurting the partner or something.

That outcome is pretty much inevitable.

Don't intervene unless you're confident you can take them both on!