AI-assisted research summary: Qualified responders can be immune from civil liability when assisting in a hazardous-materials emergency at the request of specified officials, with several exceptions.
§1513.1. Immunity from civil liability; limitations A. A person qualified by training, education, or experience shall be immune from civil liability for the rendering of care, assistance, or advice in the area of these qualifications if responding to an emergency dealing with the prevention or management of an incident resulting from the storage or transportation of hazardous materials at the request of the local civil defense director or his designee, the chief local law enforcement officer in the jurisdiction where the incident occurs or his designee, the state police, or the hazardous waste division's emergency response section within the Department of Conservation and Energy. B. The immunity provided for in Subsections A or D or both of this Section shall not apply to any person who is under a legal duty to respond to the emergency incident, or anyone who receives compensation for responding to the emergency incident other than reimbursement for actual out-of-pocket expenses while rendering assistance or advice. C. Nothing herein shall be construed to limit or otherwise affect the liability of any person for damages resulting from such person's gross negligence, or from his reckless, wanton, or intentional misconduct. D. The immunity provided for in Subsection A of this Section shall also apply to the employer of such person when no compensation except reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses is received, but nothing herein shall provide immunity from workers' compensation liability. E. The immunity provided for in Subsections A or D or both of this Section shall apply only to a situation that occurs outside the physical boundaries of a manufacturing establishment whose primary business is the utilization, handling, and processing of hazardous materials. F. The immunity provided for in Subsections A or D or both of this Section shall not apply so as to afford any immunity to any common carrier relative to its handling or transporting of hazardous materials or hazardous waste. G. Any act or omission of any person granted immunity under Subsections A or D or both of this Section shall not be available as a defense to liability by any other person responsible for causing damages in connection with the emergency incident. Added by Acts 1983, No. 504, §1; Acts 2023, No. 150, §7, eff. Jan. 10, 2024.