Castro Valley: Janitor saw elderly become weak

[happyslug]

46. That is the law in most states, in fact you do not even have to call 911.

One or two states have adopted a law requiring assistance in such circumstances and that is the law in Civil Law Jurisdictions (Latin American and Europe) but giving assistance to a person in need was NEVER the law in Common Law Jurisdictions. Now most states have passed "Good Samaritan" that prevent the child from suing you, if what you did to help him caused him or her more harm (again the Common Law Rule was if you helped someone, and that person was harmed by your actions, you were and are liable for the harm you did in saving his or her life).

Sorry, under the law in most states you do no even have to call 911 in the circumstances you state.

More on Good Samaritan laws:

http://www.heartsafeam.com/pages/faq_good_samaritan
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Good_Samaritan_law

More on the Common Law Rule that you do NOT have a duty to rescue:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duty_to_rescue

In an 1898 case, the New Hampshire Supreme Court unanimously held that after an eight year-old boy negligently placed his hand in the defendant's machinery, the boy had no right to be rescued by the defendant. Beyond that, the trespassing boy could be held liable for damages to the defendant's machine