Can You Get Sued for Performing CPR? Legal Protections Explained

The fear of being sued is one of the most commonly cited reasons people hesitate to perform CPR on a stranger. The reality is that Good Samaritan laws in all 50 states, including Colorado, provide strong legal protection for bystanders who attempt CPR in good faith.

No successful lawsuit against a Good Samaritan CPR rescuer has ever been widely reported in the United States. The legal framework overwhelmingly protects people who try to help.

Remove the hesitation. Get CPR trained and certified.

Colorado's Legal Protection

Colorado Revised Statute 13-21-108 shields anyone who renders emergency care in good faith without compensation from civil liability, unless their actions were grossly negligent or willful and wanton. A separate statute (C.R.S. 13-21-108.1) specifically protects AED use.

This protection applies whether or not you hold a CPR certification. The law protects trained and untrained rescuers alike. Certification demonstrates competence but is not required for legal protection.

What About Cracked Ribs?

Rib fractures are a common and expected occurrence during CPR. Studies show that rib fractures occur in 30 to 80% of adults who receive chest compressions. This is a normal consequence of the force required to achieve adequate compression depth.

Cracked ribs do not create legal liability. They are an accepted outcome of a life-saving procedure performed on a person who would otherwise die.

What About CPR That Does Not Save the Person?

CPR has approximately a 10% overall survival rate for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. The majority of people who receive CPR do not survive. This does not create legal liability for the rescuer. The law protects your good-faith effort regardless of outcome.

A person in cardiac arrest without intervention has a 0% chance of survival. Any intervention, even imperfect intervention, only improves those odds.

Understand Colorado's Good Samaritan law in full detail.

The Greater Risk Is Doing Nothing

The moral, ethical, and even legal risk of doing nothing when you could help is arguably greater than the risk of helping imperfectly. Many states have "duty to rescue" discussions in their legal frameworks, and the court of public opinion consistently favors those who act.

The best way to remove hesitation is training. When you know what to do, the decision to act becomes automatic.

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