Terms Used In Louisiana Revised Statutes 29:735.3

  • Damages: Money paid by defendants to successful plaintiffs in civil cases to compensate the plaintiffs for their injuries.
  • Disaster: means the result of a natural or man-made event which causes loss of life, injury, and property damage, including but not limited to natural disasters such as hurricane, tornado, storm, flood, high winds, and other weather related events, forest and marsh fires, and man-made disasters, including but not limited to nuclear power plant incidents, hazardous materials incidents, oil spills, explosion, civil disturbances, public calamity, acts of terrorism, hostile military action, and other events related thereto. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 29:723
  • Emergency: means :

                (a) The actual or threatened condition which has been or may be created by a disaster; or

                (b)(i) Any natural or man-made event which results in an interruption in the delivery of utility services to any consumer of such services and which affects the safety, health, or welfare of a Louisiana resident; or

                (ii) Any instance in which a utility's property is damaged and such damage creates a dangerous condition to the public. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 29:723

  • Evacuation: means an operation whereby all or part of a particular population is temporarily relocated, whether individually or in an organized manner, from an area in which a disaster or emergency has been declared and is considered dangerous for health or safety of the public. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 29:723
  • person: includes a body of persons, whether incorporated or not. See Louisiana Revised Statutes 1:10

A.  During a declared state of emergency, medical personnel, who render or fail to render emergency care, health care services, or first aid, shall not be liable for any civil damages to a person as a result of an evacuation or treatment or failed evacuation or treatment conducted in accordance with disaster medicine protocol and at the direction of military or government authorities, unless the damage or injury is caused by willful and wanton misconduct.

B.  As used in this Section:

(1)  “Disaster medicine” means the art and science of patient care when the number of patients exceeds the normal medical capacities, facilities, and personnel.

(2)  “Disaster medicine protocol” means the order of evacuation and treatment of persons by priority in accordance with recognized triage process applicable when disastrous conditions prevent evacuation or treatment of all patients.

(3)  “During a declared state of emergency” means during the period of time set forth in a declaration of the governor in accordance with La. Rev. Stat. 29:724 or 766 and shall include the time period as set forth in the declaration and shall also be retroactive to the precipitating event requiring the declaration of disaster or public emergency.

(4)  “Medical personnel” means an individual or person subject to the provisions of La. Rev. Stat. 37:1731, regardless of compensation.

Acts 2008, No. 538, §1, eff. June 30, 2008.