Emergency room doctors across Virginia are cheering a new law that offers them additional on-the-job protections. The law, which will take effect July 1 calls for up to 15 days in jail for anyone who knowingly assaults an emergency room doctor or nurse. ER doctors say they are at a 400 percent greater risk of injury than the average worker. Physicians pushed hard for the change because the same protections are given to paramedics and other emergency responders.
