Helping At The Scene
Va. Code 8.01-225 — care in good faith and without pay, at the scene or on the way
In Virginia, any person who in good faith renders emergency care or assistance without compensation to an ill or injured person at the scene of an accident, fire or life-threatening emergency, at a place for screening or stabilizing the emergency, or on the way to a hospital, clinic or doctor's office, is not liable for civil damages for acts or omissions resulting from that care.
- Emergency care includes forcibly entering a vehicle to remove an unattended minor at risk of serious injury or death, where the person has tried to reach police, firefighters, emergency medical services or 911 if feasible.
- Giving epinephrine in good faith and without pay to someone believed to be having a life-threatening allergic reaction is protected from liability for ordinary negligence.
- CPR and the use of an automated external defibrillator, in good faith and without pay, are covered.
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 Virginia attorney.
Sources for this section (1)
- Va. Code 8.01-225 — Persons rendering emergency care exempt from liability
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of September 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Virginia attorney.