Sort of relevant law: Duty to Rescue *spoilers*
http://www.wikiwand.com/en/Duty_to_rescue
Spouses have a duty to rescue each other in all U.S. jurisdictions.
A duty to rescue is a concept... describing a circumstance in which a party can be held liable for failing to come to the rescue of another party in peril.
I came across reading this law today, the first thing I thought of was Jeff Bridge's character running away as the horse killed his wife. His father-in-law was a judge, so he would've been able to see that the husband was taken to court over this.
Comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable share