I was run over by a car. A doctor who happened to be driving by stopped to help me. In the course of performing CPR he broke my ribs and punctured my lungs. I suffered worse injuries as a result of that puncture than from the car. Can I sue the doctor?
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Answer by Shamaila Khan, Kingsville 3012 VIC
- You can sue the doctor under these circumstances but it should be noted that the doctor may be protected by a ‘good samaritan’ defence.
- This defence is generally applied to medical practitioners that lend their assistance to strangers in emergencies.
- Unless a doctor was grossly negligent in providing the CPR treatment to you as a stranger it is highly unlikely that they will be held accountable for any injuries caused during the course of that assistance.