title: Legal briefing: Crisis standards of care and legal protections during disasters and emergencies.
abstract: This article outlines current safe harbors in the law for healthcare practitioners who work in a disaster setting. It reviews available legal protection in crisis situations with respect to the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA), criminal liability, and licensure.
authors.affiliation: Health Law Institute, Widener University School of Law, Wilmington, Deleware, USA. tmpope@widener.edu
authors.forename: Thaddeus Mason
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Pope
authors.forename: Mitchell F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Palazzo
mesh_terms: D003416:Criminal Law; D004190:Disasters; D004630:Emergencies; D004632:Emergency Medical Services / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence* / Q000592:standards; D004638:Emergency Treatment; D006801:Humans; D016365:Liability, Legal; D008007:Licensure, Medical; D008318:Malpractice; D059039:Standard of Care / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D014481:United States; D014838:Volunteers / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence