Danger Invites Rescue Doctrine Law and Legal Definition
The danger invites rescue doctrine refers to the principle giving high regard for human life by not imputing negligence to an effort to preserve it, unless made under such circumstances as to constitute rashness in the judgment of prudent persons. The doctrine was created to avoid a plaintiff being found contributorily negligent as a matter of law when s/he voluntarily placed himself/herself in a perilous situation to prevent another person from suffering serious injury or death. The doctrine was subsequently expanded to create a duty of care towards a potential rescuer where one party, by his/her culpable act, that has placed another person in a position of imminent peril which invites a third person, the rescuing plaintiff, to come to his/her aid. The doctrine also encompasses a situation where the culpable party has placed himself/herself in a perilous situation which invites rescue. [Ha-Sidi v. South Country Cent. School Dist., 148 A.D.2d 580 (N.Y. App. Div. 2d Dep't 1989)].
