Section 23-4.1-12 - Immunity from liability(a) No person, licensed and authorized pursuant to this chapter or rules and regulations promulgated pursuant to this chapter, shall be liable for any civil damages for any act or omission in connection with emergency medical services (EMS) training or in connection with services rendered outside a hospital, unless the act or omission is inconsistent with the level and scope of the person's training and experience and unless the act or omission was the result of gross negligence or willful misconduct.(b) No agency, organization, institution, corporation, or entity of state or local government that sponsors, authorizes, supports, finances, or supervises the functions of emergency medical services personnel licensed and authorized pursuant to this chapter, including advanced life support personnel, shall be liable for any civil damages for any act or omission in connection with sponsorship, authorization, support, finance, or supervision of those emergency medical services personnel, where the act or omission occurs in connection with EMS training or with services rendered outside a hospital, unless the act or omission is inconsistent with the level and scope of the training of the emergency medical services personnel and unless the act or omission was the result of gross negligence or willful misconduct.(c) No principal, agent, contractor, employee, or representative of an agency, organization, institution, corporation, or entity of state or local government that sponsors, authorizes, supports, finances, or supervises any functions of emergency medical services personnel licensed and authorized pursuant to this chapter, or rules and regulations promulgated pursuant to this chapter, including advanced life support personnel, shall be liable for any civil damages for any act or omission in connection with that sponsorship, authorization, support, finance, or supervision of those emergency medical services personnel, where the act or omission occurs in connection with EMS training, or occurs outside a hospital, unless the act or omission is inconsistent with the level and scope of the training of the emergency medical services personnel and unless the act or omission was the result of gross negligence or willful misconduct.(d) No physician, who in good faith arranges for, requests, recommends, or initiates the transfer of a patient from a hospital to a critical medical care facility in another hospital, shall be liable for any civil damages as a result of the transfer, where sound medical judgment indicates that the patient's medical condition is beyond the care capability currently available in the transferring hospital or the medical community in which that hospital is located and where a prior agreement exists from the transferee facility to accept and render necessary treatment to those patients.(e) Any municipal, fire district, or state firefighter, paramedic, or emergency medical technician who, in good faith, without the expectation of monetary or other compensation from the person aided or treated, renders first aid, emergency treatment, rescue assistance, or transport services to a person at the scene of an accident, fire, or in any other emergency situation, or en route from the scene to any hospital, medical clinic, or doctor's office, shall not be liable for any civil damages for acts or omissions resulting from the rendering of that care, treatment, or assistance.(f) The individual immunity granted in this section applies to members or employees of governmental ambulance, rescue, or emergency units, whether or not a user or service fee may be charged by the governmental entity and whether or not the members or employees receive salaries or other compensation from the governmental entity.(g) The immunity granted in this section also extends to any city, town, or fire district engaged in rendering emergency aid.(h) This section shall not be construed to provide immunity to a person or entity causing any damage by his willful, wanton, or reckless acts or omissions.R.I. Gen. Laws § 23-4.1-12
P.L. 1982, ch. 95, §2; P.L. 2000 , ch. 432, § 1.