No. A person who has suffered Sudden Cardiac Arrest is clinically dead. It is not possible to cause further injury by performing CPR or using an AED. The federal Cardiac Arrest Survival Act and state Good Samaritan laws are designed to protect laypersons from legal liability risk. Although laws vary from state to state, they generally encourage bystanders and the lay public to perform CPR and to use an AED. Depending on state law, the categories of people who are given protection include the lay public and sometimes first responders and medical professionals. Depending on state law, protection is granted unless the responder is negligent (fails to provide reasonable care), or grossly negligent (acts with a conscious disregard for the safety of the victim).
