LANDMARK CASE
Parmanand Katara v. Union of India
(1989) 4 SCC 286 · Supreme Court of India · Medical law
At a glance
- Citation: (1989) 4 SCC 286
- Court: Supreme Court of India
- Area of law: Medical law
- In one line: Yes. Every doctor must provide emergency care to preserve life, and legal formalities can wait.
1 Facts
Hospitals refused emergency treatment to accident victims until police formalities were completed.
2 Issue
Must doctors treat accident victims immediately?
3 What the court decided
Yes. Every doctor must provide emergency care to preserve life, and legal formalities can wait.
4 Why it matters
It protects the right to emergency medical care.
5 Think about it
How did the Good Samaritan guidelines later build on this?
6 Analyse it yourself
Read the full judgment from an official source or a law database, then brief it in seven steps: facts, issues, arguments, decision, ratio, obiter and significance. Always check the citation before you rely on it.
7 More cases on Medical law
- Aruna Ramchandra Shanbaug v. Union of India (2011) 4 SCC 454
- Paschim Banga Khet Mazdoor Samity v. State of West Bengal (1996) 4 SCC 37
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A short teaching summary for students. Educational content only, not legal advice.