A Safe, Easy-to-use Life Saving Device and Your Protection Under the Law

Unlike professional hospital or ambulance defibrillators, an AED (Automated External Defibrillator) requires little, to no training to use. They are, for the most part, designed to be used by nonmedical personal in an emergency situation. AEDs have been cited by many experts, as the largest contributing factor to the increase in survival rates of SCA (Sudden Cardiac Arrest) victims since the advent of CPR (Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation) over twenty years ago.

Safe to use:

AEDs will automatically detect a person’s heart rhythm and diagnose if a shock is advised. Automatic models will even give a warning and then count down before administering a shock without any other input from the user. Semi-automatic models will advise a shock is needed and then wait for a button to be pushed before administrating defibrillation, to the victim. Both types have built in safeties to prevent all possible chances of inadvertent shocks.

Your Protection Under the Law:

AEDs have become safe to the point that most states now include AED use under the “Good Faith” portions of their “Good Samaritan Laws”.  This means that as long as a person has acted in good faith and within the limits of their training in administering treatment, they cannot be held criminality or civilly liable for harm done to or the death of person to whom they give assistance.

AEDs are now considered safe enough to be used, even by untrained responders, to afford these “Good Faith” protections, in most states.

The availability of AEDs has the potential to literally save thousands of lives each year. They are safe to use with little, to no fear, of causing further damage to a SCA victim or opening yourself up to liability issues.

In this age of litigation, it is truly a testament to the advances that have been made in the safety of these devices, that your use of them is now afforded protected under the law.

Standard of Care:

The risk today is not for companies choosing to implement AED programs, it is for those who are NOT.  As the adoption rate of AEDs increases the risk grows for those organizations who don’t invest in the protection of life with AEDs and CPR.  Courts may determine that they have not kept up with the “standard of care” in their industry if there if the loss of life occurs onsite.

Consult with a professional at AED One-Stop Shop to discuss your organization, your industry and any special considerations.