Opinion ID: 894476
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: The Good Samaritan Statute

Text: Under certain circumstances, the Good Samaritan statute exempts a person who responds to a medical emergency from liability for ordinary negligence. The statute provides in relevant part: § 74.001 Liability for Emergency Care (a) A person who in good faith administers emergency care ... is not liable in civil damages for an act performed during the emergency unless the act is wilfully or wantonly negligent. (b) This section does not apply to care administered: (1) for or in expectation of remuneration; or (2) by a person who was at the scene of the emergency because he or a person he represents as an agent was soliciting business or seeking to perform a service for remuneration. (c) If the scene of an emergency is in a hospital or other health care facility or means of medical transport, a person who in good faith administers emergency care is not liable in civil damages for an act performed during the emergency unless the act is wilfully or wantonly negligent, provided that this subsection does not apply to care administered: (1) by a person who regularly administers care in a hospital emergency room unless such person is at the scene of the emergency for reasons wholly unrelated to the person's work in administering health care; or (2) by an admitting or attending physician of the patient or a treating physician associated by the admitting or attending physician of the patient in question. (d) For purposes of Subsections (b)(1) and (c)(1), a person who would ordinarily receive or be entitled to receive a salary, fee, or other remuneration for administering care under such circumstances to the patient in question shall be deemed to be acting for or in expectation of remuneration even if the person waives or elects not to charge or receive remuneration on the occasion in question. TEX. CIV. PRAC. & REM.CODE § 74.001. [1] The application of the Good Samaritan statute is divided into two scenarios defined by the physical location at which the emergency care was rendered. See id. § 74.001(a), (c). Here, the scene of the emergency was a labor and delivery room in a hospital. Accordingly, this case implicates section 74.001(c), which applies when the scene of the emergency is a hospital. See id. § 74.001(c). The parties agree that Dr. McIntyre acted in good faith and without wilful or wanton negligence. Dr. McIntyre is therefore exempt from liability under section 74.001(c), unless he is excepted by some other provision in the statute.