Daniel Levy, an Associate in the Health Care and Life Sciences and Labor and Employment practices, in the Newark office, wrote an article titled “Do Immunity Statutes Protect Rescue Squads?”
Following is an excerpt:
In a case of first impression in New Jersey, the Supreme Court held that while the Emergency Medical Services Act (EMS Act) and Good Samaritan Act provide immunity to officers and members of a rescue squad for civil damages, the plain language of those statutes does not provide immunity to a rescue squad as an entity. Murray v. Plainfield Rescue Squad, 210 N.J. 581 (2012). Thus, a rescue squad may be subject to liability for negligence even though its members may be immune from liability. Although the court’s holding may appear to have broad implications for rescue squads, the court recognized that the New Jersey Legislature has conferred immunity upon EMS entities providing advanced life support (ALS) services and “volunteer” rescue squads.