A more thorough explanation:

The sudden-emergency doctrine is a legal principle that allows a person to be exempt from the usual standard of reasonable care if they acted instinctively to meet a sudden and urgent need for aid. This principle can be applied in different situations:

1. Negligence: If someone is faced with a sudden emergency, they may not be held liable for any harm caused if they acted reasonably under the circumstances. For example, if a driver swerves to avoid hitting a pedestrian who suddenly appears in the road, and in doing so hits another car, they may not be found negligent because they acted instinctively to avoid a greater harm.
2. Emergency medical treatment: If a patient is unable to consent to medical treatment, and there is no responsible party available to give consent, a doctor may provide treatment if a reasonable person would do so in the same situation. For example, if a person is brought to the emergency room unconscious and bleeding, the doctor may perform life-saving procedures without waiting for consent from a family member.
3. Police searches: If a police officer has probable cause to believe that immediate action is needed to protect life or property, they may conduct a search without a warrant. For example, if the police receive a report of a person with a gun in a crowded area, they may search the area without a warrant to prevent harm to others.

The sudden-emergency doctrine is based on the idea that people should not be held to the same standard of care in situations where they have to act quickly to prevent harm. It allows for more flexibility in the law and can help prevent greater harm from occurring.