Is that law that was in the season finale of Seinfeld real?

[JS80]

non-assistance to a person in danger

Report: Woman Stuck In Broken Elevator For 3 Days

POSTED: 8:50 am EST December 29, 2006
UPDATED: 8:52 am EST December 29, 2006
PARIS -- A 19-year-old woman who disappeared was found stuck in an elevator in a suburban Paris housing project for three days, the French press reported Friday.

The daily Le Figaro described the woman, identified only as Safiatou, as vulnerable because she had "problems of confusion." It said she was found dehydrated but alive on Dec. 22.

According to newspaper and television accounts, Safiatou's father had contacted the building concierge Dec. 19 to say his daughter could be stuck in a broken elevator. No alarm went off and the concierge and a repairman found no one when they checked, Le Figaro reported, citing a source close to the investigation.

The technician began repair work the following day. On Dec. 22, the repairman returned to complete the job and heard a soft cry, Le Figaro reported.

On Wednesday, the girl's father, who had advised police of his daughter's disappearance, filed a complaint for non-assistance to a person in danger -- a crime in France -- according to Le Figaro.

Several elevators in the housing project had recently been renovated but not the one in question, according to the news reports. They said that it was unclear why Safiatou did not cry out for help.

 

[RKS]

good samaritan laws are usually found in Europe but not the US.

If you can assist another without endangering yourself you have a legal obligation to do so in the EU.

In the US, unless you cause the situation or have some type of fiduciary duty you don't have to assist.

edit: in the US if you start to assist, even without legal obligation, you then become legally bound to help that person.

 

[preslove]

Originally posted by: RKS
good samaritan laws are usually found in Europe but not the US.

If you can assist another without endangering yourself you have a legal obligation to do so in the EU.

In the US, unless you cause the situation or have some type of fiduciary duty you don't have to assist.

*insert lame french joke here*

But seriously, why haven't good samaritan laws been passed here? It seems like a really good idea.

 

[Canun]

Depends on the City, County, and State respectively. I think there are several states with Good Samaritan laws on the books.

 

[Wapp]

You should put "SPOILERS" in your thread title.

 

[JS80]

Originally posted by: Wapp
You should put "SPOILERS" in your thread title.

i'm sorry, if you haven't seen that yet, you probably never will.

 

[herkulease]

quoting Jackie Chiles

"You don't have to help anyone. That's what this country's all about!"

 

[herkulease]

Originally posted by: Wapp
You should put "SPOILERS" in your thread title.

spoilers? the show ended 8 1/2 years ago. With tbs running it every day with two episodes a day you'll bound to have been able to see the finale two to three times already.

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: JS80

Originally posted by: Wapp
You should put "SPOILERS" in your thread title.

i'm sorry, if you haven't seen that yet, you probably never will.

It's funny, I just saw the first part of the finale on TV last night.

But I think 1 year is a good statute of limitations on spoilers. Beyond that if you haven't seen it, it's not our responsibility to prevent you from hearing about it.


In the US, laws referred to as "Good Samaritan" laws are typically laws that protect someone who helps a person in need from liability, not laws that force someone to help a person in need.

I'd hope we don't NEED laws that require a person to help someone in need.

 

[Flyback]

Good intent, but it isn't the place of law to tell you when to help others. I'd hate to see this get on the books here.

 

[Turin39789]

I remember my dad telling be about a road that runs from washington to alaska, that you are legally required to stop and help anyone broken down or you face some sort of manslaughter charge.

 

[mordantmonkey]

Originally posted by: Turin39789
I remember my dad telling be about a road that runs from washington to alaska, that you are legally required to stop and help anyone broken down or you face some sort of manslaughter charge.

my brother broke down in the middle of nowhere in arizona. A guy came along that basically just trolls the state highways around there and offers to trade your vehicle and everything in it for a plane ticket anywhere in the lower 48.
good deal for him, but pretty damn unscrupulous.

 

[Vic]

Not really the same thing as the Seinfeld episode. In the US, the repairman would have been charged with negligence and the building owner sued into bankruptcy.

 

[Phokus]

Originally posted by: mordantmonkey

Originally posted by: Turin39789
I remember my dad telling be about a road that runs from washington to alaska, that you are legally required to stop and help anyone broken down or you face some sort of manslaughter charge.

my brother broke down in the middle of nowhere in arizona. A guy came along that basically just trolls the state highways around there and offers to trade your vehicle and everything in it for a plane ticket anywhere in the lower 48.
good deal for him, but pretty damn unscrupulous.

Do cell phones not work in arizona?