1160
Effective Jan 1, 2001Added by Stats. 2000, Ch. 195, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 2001.
- (a) The portion of statements, writings, or benevolent gestures expressing sympathy or a general sense of benevolence relating to the pain, suffering, or death of a person involved in an accident and made to that person or to the family of that person shall be inadmissible as evidence of an admission of liability in a civil action. A statement of fault, however, which is part of, or in addition to, any of the above shall not be inadmissible pursuant to this section.
(b) For purposes of this section:
- (1) “Accident” means an occurrence resulting in injury or death to one or more persons which is not the result of willful action by a party.
- (2) “Benevolent gestures” means actions which convey a sense of compassion or commiseration emanating from humane impulses.
- (3) “Family” means the spouse, parent, grandparent, stepmother, stepfather, child, grandchild, brother, sister, half brother, half sister, adopted children of parent, or spouse’s parents of an injured party.