Rhode Island General Laws 23-17.6-5. Immunity from liability
(a) No person licensed and authorized pursuant to this chapter or rules and regulations promulgated pursuant to this chapter shall be liable for any civil damages for any act or omission in connection with EMS training, or in connection with services rendered outside a hospital, unless the act or omission is inconsistent with the level and scope of the person’s training and experience, and unless the act or omission was the result of gross negligence or willful misconduct.
Terms Used In Rhode Island General Laws 23-17.6-5
- Corporation: A legal entity owned by the holders of shares of stock that have been issued, and that can own, receive, and transfer property, and carry on business in its own name.
- Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
- person: may be construed to extend to and include co-partnerships and bodies corporate and politic. See Rhode Island General Laws 43-3-6
(b) No agency, organization, institution, corporation, or entity of state or local government that sponsors, authorizes, supports, finances, or supervises the function of emergency medical services personnel licensed and authorized pursuant to this chapter, including advanced life support personnel, shall be liable for any civil damages for any act or omission in connection with sponsorship, authorization, support, finance, or supervision of the emergency medical services personnel, where the act or omission occurs in connection with EMS training, or with services rendered outside a hospital, unless the act or omission is inconsistent with the level and scope of the training of the emergency medical services personnel, and unless the act or omission was the result of gross negligence or willful misconduct.
(c) No principal, agent, contractor, employee, or representative of an agency, organization, institution, corporation, or entity of state or local government that sponsors, authorizes, supports, finances, or supervises any functions of emergency medical services personnel licensed and authorized pursuant to this chapter, or rules and regulations promulgated pursuant to this chapter including advanced life support personnel, shall be liable for any civil damages for any act or omission in connection with the sponsorship, authorization, support, finance, or supervision of the emergency medical services personnel, where the act or omission occurs in connection with EMS training, or occurs outside a hospital, unless the act or omission is inconsistent with the level and scope of the training of the emergency medical services personnel, and unless the act or omission was the result of gross negligence or willful misconduct.
(d) No physician, who in good faith arranges for, requests, recommends, or initiates the transfer of a patient from a hospital to a critical medical care facility in another hospital, shall be liable for any civil damages as a result of the transfer where sound medical judgment indicates that the patient’s medical condition is beyond the care capability currently available in the transferring hospital or the medical community in which that hospital is located, and where a prior agreement exists from the transferee facility to accept and render necessary treatment to these patients.
History of Section.
P.L. 1973, ch. 155, § 1; G.L. 1956, § 23-16.1-5; P.L. 1979, ch. 39, § 1; G.L. 1956, § 23-17.6-5; P.L. 1982, ch. 95, § 3.