Benson Legislation to Ensure Good Samaritans Receive Free Emergency Medical Transportation Released by Assembly Panel 

Bill Would Protect Individuals Injured While Assisting During Crises

(TRENTON) – Legislation sponsored by Assemblyman Daniel Benson to ensure that individuals who are hurt while providing assistance during emergencies receive ambulance service free of charge was advanced by an Assembly panel on Monday.

“The purpose of New Jersey’s Good Samaritan law is to encourage individuals who are in a position to assist during an emergency to do so without reservation,” said Benson (D-Mercer/Middlesex). “Those who rescue others in dangerous situations often act without consideration for their own well-being, and at the very least, these selfless individuals ought to be able to rest assured that they won’t have to worry about the cost of emergency medical transportation.”

In order to encourage individuals to render assistance at accident scenes, New Jersey has adopted “Good Samaritan” acts to provide civil immunity for individuals who in good faith render care at the scene of an accident or in an emergency. The bill (A-2343) would provide that the appropriate insurance company providing coverage to a “Good Samaritan” injured at the scene of an accident is required to assume the cost of any ambulance service needed due to that injury.

The bill was advanced by the Assembly Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness Committee.