Liability protection when practicing during a disaster: How the laws work

Bottom Line

There are potential liability risks when treating patients during a disaster. Statutory protections that limit liability may be enacted when the US President or a state Governor declares an official state of emergency. Although some federal and state laws and regulations provide liability protections during these situations, there is a discrepancy in the protections offered to non-volunteer vs volunteer clinicians.

Related Resources

• Federal Emergency Management Agency. https://www.fema.gov/
• Federation of State Medical Boards. https://www.fsmb.org