So I was put in a difficult position today...

[OmegaXIII]

But if I could have helped someone, and they died because the people around her couldn't help? Then you can happily know her death wasn't your fault because of being afraid of her taking you to court....which read into that, yeah people sue but they never take a dime from the rescuers unless they seriously mess up.

It was that sort of feeling that made me question my actions afterwards. You'd be really surprised what people will sue for after someone saves them. My mum is a qualified first aider as well and she got told about a case where an old guy sued the caregiver because they started cpr and cracked one of his ribs. It's crazy...

 

[riderwaylander]

being a fire fighter i would not have hesatated but that would be more reaction than anything. i still remember the first time i had to use first aid and i felt clumsy and slow but also in canada we have a lot more protection against getting sued and our insurance covers a lot more.
either way dont beat yourself up over it cause if you do the next time you may not have the confidence to do what you got to do.

 

[Aerodyamic]

You should have helped her, but you would have been sued(as people are assholes these days) because if I recall, you need permission first to perform first aid, right?

Completely non-legal opinion follows:

In Canada, if someone appears to require first aid, and is unconscious, consent is implied, since they could be in shock and/or dying, and you may not have the time or ability to get them alert enough to consent. It could also substantially worsen their chances of survival if you could[/i] get them alert enough to respond to questions.

Otherwise, the existence of 'Good Samaritan Laws' could dictate whether or not you could be sued. I mean, as an average individual (with little or no first aid training), if you see someone bleeding from a sucking chest wound, and you try to stop the bleeding, but they die anyways? You've done all you could.

On the other hand, if you see some guy with a knife in him, and instead of trying to convince him to stop and let you help stem the bleeding, you pull the knife out, you'll probably get sued, regardless of his later survival.

Mind you, I have Basic+CPR training, so in a typical 'medical emergency' situation, I'm confident of my ability to offer basic assistance to an injured individual. I'm still not going to try to remember that episode of M.A.S.H. where Father Mulcahy is talked through a battlefield tracheotomy (with nothing but a Bic pen and a penknife, no less) over the radio, but I'll stop the bleeding, attempt resuscitation, and such.

 

[Carlston]

But if I could have helped someone, and they died because the people around her couldn't help? Then you can happily know her death wasn't your fault because of being afraid of her taking you to court....which read into that, yeah people sue but they never take a dime from the rescuers unless they seriously mess up.

It was that sort of feeling that made me question my actions afterwards. You'd be really surprised what people will sue for after someone saves them. My mum is a qualified first aider as well and she got told about a case where an old guy sued the caregiver because they started cpr and cracked one of his ribs. It's crazy...

I don't WANT to make it a feel bad situation...But honestly the whole all evil needs is for good men to do nothing thing, it's like the world needs to punish heros while someone dies and the filth of society just camera phones video of a death....

Help her, stabilize her and when the emt arrives say "I have to wash my hands, fluids and all." and vanish.

 

[WolfThomas]

Hey I'm a med student too, Australia though, what year are you? Yeah I probably would have jumped in, I'm not one to think before I leap, then awkwardly realise I didn't know what I was doing.

That said I doubt there's any thing I would have been able to do aside from assessing vital signs (pulse and breathing), lifting her legs up for shock or doing some very bad CPR. Actually I guess that stuff might be helpful.

 

[GrandAm]

You should have helped her, but you would have been sued(as people are assholes these days) because if I recall, you need permission first to perform first aid, right?

It depends on local laws. Here in Arizona USA we have "the good smaritan" law. It is part of our traffic laws. If somebody renders aid at a traffic accident, you can't sue them. CPR often results in broken ribs, pulling someone out from a damaged can aggrevate any injury cased by the accident.

People sue. So the public becomes apathetic or scared to help. So to discourage public fear to help in traffic accidents Arizona put in that legal safeguard. They can still sue, but it will only go as far peliminary trial and be thrown out.

 

[FrostyV3]

It's an annoying grey area. You dont know what type of person you're going to get.
-The person who will gratefully thank you for attempting first aid (even if to no prevail)
-The person who will thank you, only if you actually better their situation
-The person who will be apprehensive that you tried to perform first aid on them
-The person who will sue you with every power they have even though you were attempting to help them.

I don't know if being a med student would better or worsen your case.

In you're situation, in the world we live in today, I wouldn't have done anything even if that makes me feel really bad because I didn't help.
~Frosty.

 

[aarontg]

Assuming I needed to find out that this thing has come over her Ide likely check her to see if she was ok and Ide likely see if anyone has a phone to call 911 with but that would likely be it.

 

[TelHybrid]

Damn... when I saw the title I was expecting an innuendo. Had my "giggety" comment ready and everything.

 

[Pegghead]

Hey, we all miss out on opportunities that have us cursing afterwards. You're only human.

 

[Bob the Average]

I would have tried to help assuming I didn't stand there dumbstruck but that's because in Texas we have a 'good Samaritan' law which says you can't be sued so long as your doing something your trained to do (first aid ect.) and doing it right.

 

[SupaMechaDeathChrist]

I would have helped her, I mean, I don't mean to be a douchebag in any way. Oh, and plus as long as you did something good, it doesn't matter what turns out in the end of the day. If she (or someone else tryed to sue you) you have a good chance of winning, because you were trying to help her not try to be a pervert.

 

[IceStar100]

I'm a cadet in the police acadmy so I have the train. I won't use it I seen to many people who try to help and get sued. Stick your neck out and they will throw a rope around it.

 

[SupaMechaDeathChrist]

In the UK there are loads of shitty insurance laws about if you give care to someone in a public place. Its a frigging minefield. I do have a certificate for passing the ACE course of my degree (the emergency care protocol) but i just didn't know at the time.

I just froze really, i'm not beating myself up as such it just felt a little odd because it kinda felt like i should have done something with the knowledge i have

I have now had another WTF moment; a person collapses in the street, you save his/her life, and you get punished. More evidence of the cnacer that is killing /B/ritain.

lol, it's called retarded insurance/law cancer, and that happens a lot here in america to.

EDIT: as the great words of Yahtzee once said "People are shit!"

 

[minidevil921]

Yell out OH S**T then just walk away while parents yell at you...yea.

 

[TheBoulder]

You should have helped her, but you would have been sued(as people are assholes these days) because if I recall, you need permission first to perform first aid, right?

Yeah, really doesn't make sense. "OHHH thanks for saving my LIFE! Buuuut you didn't have permission so i'm suing!" Idiots today.

 

[Danpascooch]

I'd just stay there as well. I'm going to be a Law student, and if two people are arguing, I wouldn't jump in to defend the hot girl any more than I would to help her as a med student. Too much that you might be biting off without knowing.

Dude, it's wasn't a simple argument, for all he know at the moment her life could have hung in the balance.

My opinion is yes, you should definitely have done something, but no, nobody can blame you for being too stunned to really do anything.

 

[Godavari]

Well I'm not a medical student, so I would have stayed the fuck away, lest I mess her up even more. I was trained in CPR like 5 years ago, and that's it. But if I had the medical knowledge to help, isn't it my duty to do so based on the Hypocratic Oath? I'm fuzzy on the wording, so I may be wrong, and I'm assuming you've actually taken the oath, but that's how I see it.

 

[psyfai]

My Sociology class went over this:
Bystander Intervention in Emergency Situations: The bystander will probably help in an emergency situation if: He or she notices the event, He or she interprets the event as an emergency, he or she assumes responsibility, he or she knows the appropriate form of assistance, he or she implements the decision.

Given your discussion, you personally were missing the 'responsibility' part. But myself, as a Girl Scout, would likely help out the best I can- Unless someone more intelligent or competent shows up.

 

[Mad World]

I probably would have done what you did; I would have been scared, too.