The Hidden Dangers of CPR Legal Risks - Why Inaction is Far Riskier!

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The Hidden Dangers of CPR Legal Risks - Why
Inaction is Far Riskier!
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Performing CPR can be a life-saving act, but the
fear of potential lawsuits may deter some
bystanders from offering their assistance. Howeve
r, recent research indicates that the greater
legal risk lies in refraining from helping. A
comprehensive analysis of three decades' worth of
lawsuits in the United States revealed that only
a small number of cases were linked to
individuals performing CPR, whereas a
significantly larger number were associated with
delayed or inadequate CPR. Surprisingly, the
review also found that settlements or punitive
damages exceeding 620 million were awarded for
instances of delayed CPR, whereas the damages
paid for performing CPR amounted to a mere
120,000.
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Dr. Travis Murphy, the lead author of the study
and an emergency medicine attending physician and
fellow in surgical critical care at the
University of Florida in Gainesville, stated,
"The concerns individuals express about being
held accountable for an unfavorable outcome when
administering bystander CPR are largely
unfounded. In reality, individuals are much more
likely to face legal consequences for failing to
provide CPR promptly." These preliminary
findings will be presented at the upcoming
Resuscitation Science Symposium, hosted by the
American Heart Association in Philadelphia. To
gather this information, researchers examined a
legal research database containing jury verdicts,
settlements, and appellate opinions from all 50
states spanning the years 1989 to 2019,
specifically focusing on personal injury or
wrongful death lawsuits involving the use or
nonuse of CPR.
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Out of the cases analyzed, 167 involved claims of
negligence, with 74 cases ruling in favor of the
person administering CPR. Additionally, three
cases alleged battery, and two of them concluded
in favor of the person performing CPR. It's
important to note that every state has enacted
"Good Samaritan" laws, which provide legal
protection to individuals who provide reasonable
assistance to those they believe to be injured or
in immediate danger. "We hope that this
information will empower individuals trained in
bystander CPR to utilize their skills and help
save lives," added Murphy.
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Source https//www.heart.org/en/news/2019/11/13/w
orried-about-legal-risk-of-doing-cpr-inaction-is-r
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