It’s sweltering hot outside. You see a child inside a car, windows up. It appears he is sweating profusely and having trouble breathing. You make the decision to break the window and hopefully save them from possible heat stroke, or worse. The child is safe, but, now what? Are you liable for the damages you caused to the vehicle in order to perform the rescue? Ottawa Police Chief Adam Weingartner with the answer:
Thirty-one states have protection from being sued laws for people making attempts to save a person or animal in danger inside a vehicle. Weingartner encourage everyone to check the back set twice before getting out of the car, just to be sure, and while leaving the car running, doors locked and the air conditioning on may work for quick trips in and out, he encourages people not to do it.
