Session Laws

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:

Chapter 233 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 23C, inserted by chapter 325 of the acts of 1985, the following section:-

Section 23D. As used in this section the following words shall, unless the context clearly requires otherwise, have the following meanings:

"Accident", an occurrence resulting in injury or death to one or more persons which is not the result of willful action by a party.

"Benevolent gestures", actions which convey a sense of compassion or commiseration emanating from humane impulses.

"Family", 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.

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 such person or to the family of such person shall be inadmissible as evidence of an admission of liability in a civil action.