Court Opinion

ID: 9790892
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-31 02:00:59.367939+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:37:32.460142
License: Public Domain

Mowbray, J.,
dissenting:
Respectfully, I dissent. In my opinion the district judge correctly charged the jury in the application of the Good Samaritan Rule. The jury after hearing the testimony, observing the witnesses and examining the evidence found Reighley who had stopped to give aid a “Good Samaritan” within the meaning of the Rule. While the jury found Reighley guilty of ordinary negligence, the jury did not find Reighley guilty of gross negligence and consequently assessed no damages against him.
The Legislature in its wisdom passed into law the Good Samaritan Statute. This law encourages passers-by, as its title implies, to give aid to fellow travelers in emergency situations. Reighley was attempting to do precisely that in the instant case when the Greyhound Bus smashed into the victims’ car causing the resulting catastrophic injuries.
Nevada has many miles of long lonely highways. If one wishes *767to stop to give aid to those in emergency situations that person should feel secure in knowing that he or she is shielded by the Good Samaritan Rule. Otherwise, such a person may elect to ignore those in distress with a “wave of the hand” as they proceed down the highway. Such conduct hardly seems to be in the spirit of the West, particularly Nevada.