We Don't Need No Water... Evidently

In fall of 2004, a California woman saw a car with her friend inside smash into a light pole going forty-five miles an hour. Believing the car was about to explode, she hastily pulled her friend from the wreckage. As a result of the way she extracted the woman from the car -- "like a rag doll," in the victim's words -- she was rendered a paraplegic.

Four years later, the victim has made amazing strides... not toward her recovery, but toward being able to sue her friend for the injuries she sustained.

Yes, the California Supreme Court ruled last Thursday that unless a person is administering emergency care, he or she can be sued for injuries resulting from attempts to render aid. In this case, since the car didn't blow up after all, it turns out it wasn't an emergency.

Is there a way to know that except for in hindsight?

Here's what else I'm wondering: couldn't she just as easily have beed sued for negligence if she'd done nothing and the car had exploded?

I'm envisioning a new line of greeting cards just for the state of California: the cover would read, "I only know of one way to show my gratitude for all you've done." The inside would say, "Bend over."

Comments

[ann]

Kelly dear,
How in the world are you?!!
Congratulations on the birth of your daughter! I lost track of you and didn't even know you were pregnant until I saw Justin's post on his faxebook.
Write me soon-- when you get a spare minute (wink), I'd love to catch up.
grace to you, ole friend,
ann