Good Samaritan

I was getting some work done at St. Mark’s café this afternoon when out of the corner of my eye I saw someone fall over and hit their head on the back of a chair a few feet away. I immediately rushed over to help.

He was a kid in his early 20’s, and he had a laceration over the medial part of his left eyebrow; he was awake and never lost consciousness.

He said that he felt lightheaded when he stood up after tying his shoe. The poor kid felt embarrassed and tried to get up, but I asked him to lie back so I could make sure he was not seriously injured. He was able to tell me his name; his pupils were of equal size, and he could track my finger with his eyes. The eye itself didn’t appear to be damaged. He denied any change of vision and denied feeling tired or nauseous. He denied neck pain and had full range of motion in his neck.

We got him sitting up in a chair, and the barista brought him some water, soup, and a cookie. He was still white as a ghost but was feeling better. I told him to get himself to a hospital right away if he felt drowsy or had any changes in his vision.

Afterward, someone asked me if I am a doctor. “No! I’m just a medical student,” I replied, and it occurred to me for the first time that perhaps I shouldn’t have rushed over to help. I had acted automatically and without thinking. Now that I have had a bit more time to reflect on what happened, I think that I did act appropriately.

Out of curiosity, I looked up Colorado’s Good Samaritan law (CRS §13-21-108):

Any person licensed as a physician and surgeon under the laws of the state of Colorado, or any other person, who in good faith renders emergency care or emergency assistance to a person not presently his patient without compensation at the place of an emergency or accident, including a health care institution as defined in section 13-64-202 (3), shall not be liable for any civil damages for acts or omissions made in good faith as a result of the rendering of such emergency care or emergency assistance during the emergency, unless the acts or omissions were grossly negligent or willful and wanton. This section shall not apply to any person who renders such emergency care or emergency assistance to a patient he is otherwise obligated to cover.

I am definitely not a licensed physician or surgeon, but I'm pretty sure that I do meet qualifying criteria for "any other person."