Would You save a stranger’s life?

Wow, this is really moving. I’d like to say that, of course I would help someone in need and would try to save someone’s life, but I guess you never know how you’ll act until you’re in a situation.

Really makes you think about the way our world has become. I still think the right thing to do is to HELP the person in need. Just standing by and watching someone in need seems wrong to me.

When ever whe see a need we have to do our best to help a person, as we would like to be helped. Love must inspire all our actions, love will make us do our best, and if not, love will cover all imperfections. love will be our best justification.

Even if you do something to help, in the back of your mind will always be the part about lawsuits. Even if you are trained the lawsuit are always their. Yes it should be the first thing that we think of-to help someone else, but is it the first thing now or is it the lawsuit that is first. Do you put your family in a place that you loose everything over a lawsuit. I could not live with myself if I stood by and did not try to help. Could you? Some could. Some have. Some do not take the gift of life to highly if they choose to do a lawsuit to someone that helped them. Where is the grateful heart in that person that was helped? Thank you Giovanna for this story.
Dan and Deanna “Marketing Unscrambled”

Giovanna,

What an important point you raised. It’s sad when these things happen. As a paraplegic, Van Horn and her family are probably financially desperate and so any source of money has to be grasped at. Yet it is so unfair to Lisa who tried to help.

I think that in an emergency, without time to think of all the consequences, my instinct would also be to pull the victim from the car. Luckily I live in a society that is not as litigious as the US.

This is where the courts should exercise some social responsibility and good judgment. Cases like this should be treated with a great deal of sensitivity. Not easy at all.

I’ve been watching this case since it began, and the outcome changed California’s law completely. I’m disappointed that Good Samaritans are scared away from jumping to the aid of another human being out of real fear of a lawsuit.

The saddest part is that cervical spine injury is probably NOT worsened by movement after the original damage has been done. Lisa Torti didn’t cause Van Horn’s paralysis - the accident did.

Torti should never have been made to stand trial and California’s law did not need to be re-interpreted. It’s sort of fixed now, but I know it will make even me pause a moment before jumping to the aid of a victim.

I would help, and I would like to receive help if needed. my cousin and brother were in a 36 car pile up. My cousin, came across a young woman pinned in her car. She refused help, waiting for professionals. This girl was the only person to die that day. It’s funny most of us have a friend follow us home in case something happens. If I were Lisa I would not regret my decision to help, no matter what it cost me.

I like the focus on social responsibility … I think it flows.

The threat of litigation has really put a damper on things.

I would help. And I would hope someone would help myself or my family! What is this world coming to?

Hi Giovanna,
My gut instinct is to help out. I know that if it were me in that situation - car accident, drowning, etc - I would very much want help to save my life. That this sometimes leads to people looking for a quick buck afterward is sad, at best. And almost incomprehensible to me - why?

Hi Gio .. I think it’s terrible that it’s becoming accepted that we shouldn’t help others .. because of the potential liability that help or guidance, or rescue may put upon us - when our natural instincts are to aid people in distress.

We had a couple of police officers here .. who stood on the side of an iced pond and watched a child die .. because health and safety had told them not to put their own lives at risk ..by reaching out across the ice

I just do not know .. I think it would depend on the circumstances at the time .. it’s not a stafisfactory answer I know ..

Hilary Melton-Butcher
Positive Letters

It is sad to see our society becoming as such where people have to think twice or more before helping. Those moments of hesitation sometimes can either save or kill the victim. Which is why I suggest anyone to read up on their local laws on helping and ALWAYS ask/state the victim for “permission” with witness if possible. There are few steps to do this.

But despite the lawsuits, I’d helped because I always believe what goes around, comes around. 1day, you might just need it too. And the guilt of a life lost on your hands is not easy to bear with.

Put it this way, what kind of person would you be if you stood and watched someone injured and in pain and did nothing? I completely understand that shes angry shes now a paraplegic but if she was consious i would pay alot of money on betting she would have screamed her head off for help… yelled at people to get a move on…. I was only young when 9/11 happened but i like to think that if had been there and been older i would be in there doing what i can inseatd of just watching from the streets, or of something like that happened in NI i would absolutelty rush to help… let alone a car crash.. id have her out of there in seconds whether she liked it or not! what happened to the world that everyone is sooo sensitive and there a policy and a piece of legislation to cover every aspect of every situation… i pulled a girl out of a car today mum, now shes sueing me! what the hell is going on she should be greatful shes alive! it takes courage and sometimes sacrifice to make decisions like that so i admire each and every person who makes such as decision…!!!!