Helping At The Scene
Civ. Prac. 74.151 — no civil liability for emergency care in good faith, unless wilfully or wantonly negligent
In Texas, a person who in good faith administers emergency care is not liable in civil damages for an act performed during the emergency unless the act is wilfully or wantonly negligent. That includes a person using an automated external defibrillator and a volunteer first responder.
- It does not apply to care given for or in expectation of payment.
- It does not apply to a person at the scene to solicit business or to perform a service for payment.
- It generally does not apply to a person whose own negligence was a producing cause of the emergency.
The protection is from civil liability, a lawsuit for damages, and the section sets its own limits on who and what it covers. Whether it applies to a particular act is a question for a court and for a licensed Texas attorney.
Sources for this section (1)
- Civ. Prac. 74.151 — Liability for emergency care
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of September 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Texas attorney.