Title 42, The Public Health and WelfareRelease 119-110
§14504 Liability for Noneconomic Loss
Title 42 › CHAPTER 139 — VOLUNTEER PROTECTION › § 14504
Summary
If a volunteer is sued for something they did while helping a nonprofit or government, the noneconomic harm (harm that isn’t about money) is split based on how much each volunteer caused it. Each volunteer only owes the share that matches their percentage of fault, which the judge or jury decides, and the court enters a separate amount for each volunteer.
Full Legal Text
Title 42, §14504
The Public Health and Welfare, Source: USLM XML via OLRC
(a)General rule
In any civil action against a volunteer, based on an action of a volunteer acting within the scope of the volunteer’s responsibilities to a nonprofit organization or governmental entity, the liability of the volunteer for noneconomic loss shall be determined in accordance with subsection (b).
(b)Amount of liability
(1)In general
Each defendant who is a volunteer, shall be liable only for the amount of noneconomic loss allocated to that defendant in direct proportion to the percentage of responsibility of that defendant (determined in accordance with paragraph (2)) for the harm to the claimant with respect to which that defendant is liable. The court shall render a separate judgment against each defendant in an amount determined pursuant to the preceding sentence.
(2)Percentage of responsibility
For purposes of determining the amount of noneconomic loss allocated to a defendant who is a volunteer under this section, the trier of fact shall determine the percentage of responsibility of that defendant for the claimant’s harm.
Reference
Citations & Metadata
Citation
42 U.S.C. § 14504
Title 42, The Public Health and Welfare
Last Updated
Sep 22, 2026
Release point: 119-110