J.T. from Texas writes:
Dear Mister Condo,
A lady trips and falls on condo grounds and just needs assistance to stand up but no one will help her. The condo manager says it’s against the bylaws. We have the Good Samaritan law in Texas so I don’t understand why no one can help. What do you think?
Mister Condo replies:
J.T., what litigious times we live in that we cannot help our fellow man when they need our assistance for fear of a lawsuit! I would ask the condo manager to show you where it says no one can help someone who has fallen on the common grounds. My guess is that this is a misunderstanding of how the insurance regulations read about “slip and fall” type accidents. The insurer may insist that people who fall get medical evaluations to protect the insurer in the event of a lawsuit after the fact. That being said, it is very sad that we are being told not to help a fellow human being. If it were me, I would help and I would certainly want someone to help me or a loved one if they fell. Get the clarification you need and always practice kindness. This world is a negative place without it. All the best!