Ohio Code 2305.235 – Immunity of person involved with providing automated external defibrillation
(A) As used in this section:
Terms Used In Ohio Code 2305.235
- Arrest: Taking physical custody of a person by lawful authority.
- Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
- Person: includes an individual, corporation, business trust, estate, trust, partnership, and association. See Ohio Code 1.59
- Property: means real and personal property. See Ohio Code 1.59
- United States: includes all the states. See Ohio Code 1.59
(1) “Automated external defibrillation” means the process of applying a specialized defibrillator to a person in cardiac arrest, allowing the defibrillator to interpret the cardiac rhythm, and, if appropriate, delivering an electrical shock to the heart to allow it to resume effective electrical activity.
(2) “Physician” has the same meaning as in section 4765.01 of the Revised Code.
(B) Except in the case of willful or wanton misconduct, no physician shall be held liable in civil damages for injury, death, or loss to person or property for providing a prescription for an automated external defibrillator approved for use as a medical device by the United States food and drug administration or consulting with a person regarding the use and maintenance of a defibrillator.
(C) Except in the case of willful or wanton misconduct, no person shall be held liable in civil damages for injury, death, or loss to person or property for doing any of the following:
(1) Providing training in automated external defibrillation and cardiopulmonary resuscitation;
(2) Authorizing, directing, or supervising the installation or placement of an automated external defibrillator;
(3) Designing, managing, or operating a cardiopulmonary resuscitation or automated external defibrillation program;
(4) Acquiring an automated external defibrillator;
(5) Owning, managing, or having responsibility for a premises or location where an automated external defibrillator has been placed.
(D) Except in the case of willful or wanton misconduct or when there is no good faith attempt to activate an emergency medical services system in accordance with section 3701.85 of the Revised Code, no person shall be held liable in civil damages for injury, death, or loss to person or property, or held criminally liable, for performing automated external defibrillation in good faith, regardless of whether the person has obtained appropriate training on how to perform automated external defibrillation or successfully completed a course in cardiopulmonary resuscitation.