Good Samaritan law

First Aid & CPR Argentina

The Good Samaritan: compassion and protection

Drawn from the Bible (Luke 10:25-37), the parable of the Good Samaritan tells of a traveller left for dead who is rescued by a stranger that tends to him and sees to his care. Beyond its religious context, it carries a universal message: the moral duty to help others in danger, through compassion and altruism.

Inspired by this principle, many so-called Good Samaritan laws have been enacted around the world to protect those who assist in good faith during an emergency from legal action. The exact scope of that protection, however, varies from one jurisdiction to another: here is what the law applicable to your region provides.

Statute citation

Governing act Art. 108 of the Argentine Criminal Code (Law 11.179, consolidated text 1984) — "omisión de auxilio" (failure to render aid), in the "Abandonment of persons" chapter.
Scope of protection Any person who finds a lost or helpless child under ten, or an injured, disabled or endangered person. The duty is discharged either by rendering the necessary aid when it can be done without personal risk, or by immediately notifying the authorities. No obligation where it would create personal risk.
Duty to rescue Yes
Penalty for failure to assist Fine of 750 to 12,500 pesos (fine only, no imprisonment; nominal amounts periodically updated by law).
AED liability protection Protected
Statute National Law 27.159 (2015), "Comprehensive Sudden-Death Event Prevention System" (Decree 402/2022): "No intervening person who has acted in accordance with this law is subject to civil, criminal or administrative liability." — a genuine Good-Samaritan-style shield covering AED (DEA) use.
Legal duty to rescue applies AED protection

Your protection under the law

In Argentina, rescue is a duty clearly defined by the Criminal Code. Article 108 (Law 11.179, consolidated text 1984), in the "Abandonment of persons" chapter, applies to anyone who finds a lost or helpless child under ten, or an injured, disabled or endangered person: the duty is discharged either by rendering the necessary aid when it can be done without risk, or by immediately notifying the authorities. The law never asks you to put yourself in danger — only not to remain indifferent.

Duty to rescue

In Argentina, the law expects you to act, and failing to do so without cause exposes you to a fine (750 to 12,500 pesos, with no imprisonment). But Argentina goes further than most countries in the region: National Law 27.159 (2015), within its sudden-death prevention system, provides that "no intervening person who has acted in accordance with this law is subject to civil, criminal or administrative liability." This is a genuine Good-Samaritan-style immunity, covering in particular the use of an automated external defibrillator (AED): the law actively protects the person who tries to save a life.

Why training matters

In a cardiac arrest, the chances of survival drop by about 10% for every minute without resuscitation. In Argentina, the law has already taken the fear of a lawsuit away from the rescuer; all that remains is to give them the skill. Training in CPR and AED use means becoming that first link in the chain of survival the victim is waiting for, often without knowing it. In the country that made protecting the rescuer a law, learning to help is the fullest answer to that trust — and, one day, to a heart that stops.