Need help desperately

[Noele]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? South Carolina

I have a kind of odd situation and I hope this is the right forum to post it in. If not please tell me how to move it.

I am 25 years old. I reside with my parents, as do my two younger sisters. They are ages 21 and 19.

Last night my sisters had two friends over from work. My parents are not here, they are in PA visiting relatives and plan to come home today.

The friends are aged 19 and 18, and both also live at home with their respective parents.

One of the friends began complaining of stomach pain. She said that her stomach had been hurting her over the weekend as well, but not as badly as it was now. She was in obvious distress, shaking and having difficulty breathing. I called 911 and an ambulance came to the house and took her to the hospital. It turns out she had some kind of viral infection, was treated at the hospital and released.

No one thought to call her parents to let them know she was going to the hospital in the ensuing confusion. As a result, her mother called me, screaming and hollering, demanding my mother's cell phone number. I refused to give it to her, since my mother was not here and had nothing to do with the incident at all. This woman was very upset that no one called her to tell her that her daughter was at the hospital.

I should add here that both of my sisters drove to the hospital behind the ambulance and waited for their friend to be diagnosed and treated. All in all, they were at the hospital for about four hours. She was not admitted or anything.

I apologized for not calling her but I couldn't--I didn't have her phone number! Also I need to add here that this girl DID NOT WANT US TO CALL HER PARENTS. She insisted that no one call them because she was afraid it was an ectopic pregnancy or somesuch [I'm still not sure of her logic there, since her parents would have found out anyway, but I digress]. I kept apologizing but she kept hollering at me, would not let me get a word in edgewise, and claimed she was going to sue us because her daughter was in our care when this incident happened. I pointed out that her daughter is 18 years old, therefore she is an adult and also that her daughter is the one who signed the papers that the EMTs brought. She claimed that since her daughter still lives at home and is on their insurance plan she is considered a minor. My sisters [stupidly] gave this woman our address as well as my cell phone number, and she has already called and left me a nasty voicemail.

So my question is--can I [or my parents] be sued for anything in this situation? I am so upset and distracted by this, I can't believe it.

Any help or advice would be appreciated. Thanks so much.What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)?

[JETX]

Originally Posted by Noele

can I [or my parents] be sued for anything in this situation?

Can you be sued?? Of course you can. After all, almost anyone can sue almost anyone else claiming almost anything.

However, are you LIABLE?? No. As you pointed out, she is an adult and you had NO legal obligation to contact her parents. The fact that she lives at home or is on their insurance... has no bearing on the claim.

[Noele]

Thank you so much for your very prompt answer!

I had a feeling this was the case but I'm not familiar at all with injury law and so I thought I would ask. I feel much better.

Thanks again.