Earlier this month, an appellate court in California issued a written opinion in a personal injury case presenting an interesting issue that often arises in Maryland nursing home abuse and neglect cases. The case required the court to determine if an arbitration agreement was valid when it was signed by…
Articles Posted in Relevant Nursing Home Case Law
Court Upholds Arbitration Clause in Recent Nursing Home Wrongful Death Case
Earlier this month, a state appellate court issued a written opinion in a wrongful death case involving allegations that a nursing home failed to properly care for a resident. The focus of the court’s analysis was on the issue of an arbitration clause that was contained in a pre-admission contract…
Not All Nursing Home Arbitration Agreements Are Legally Binding
When someone is seeking admission into a Maryland nursing home, they will almost certainly be presented with a pre-admission contract. This contract goes over the rights and responsibilities of both the nursing home as well as the soon-to-be resident. In most nursing home pre-admission contracts, there is also an arbitration…
Court Upholds Jury’s Decision to Award Punitive Damages in Nursing Home Case
In most cases alleging Maryland nursing home abuse or neglect, if successful, the plaintiff will receive compensation for the injuries sustained by their loved one. This normally includes the costs of medical expenses, and it may also include an amount for the emotional pain and suffering their loved one endured…
Pre-Trial Discovery in Maryland Nursing Home Cases
When a Maryland nursing home neglect lawsuit is filed, the case will proceed through several stages before it is ready to be heard. One of the most important pre-trial stages is the discovery stage, at which the parties request and exchange relevant information about the case. The discovery stage presents…
Nursing Home Resident’s Claim Sent to Arbitration After Signing Contract Ten Days Before Her Death
One issue that often arises in Maryland nursing home cases is the effect of an arbitration agreement on a resident’s claim. In a recent case, one state’s appeals court considered whether an arbitration agreement was enforceable even though the resident passed away before the rescission period had passed. In that…
Appellate Court Permits Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect Case to Proceed Toward Trial
One of the most significant hurdles Maryland nursing home abuse and neglect cases face early in the process is overcoming a defense motion for summary judgment. Summary judgment is a mechanism by which either party – although very often the defense in personal injury cases – asks the court to…
The Importance of Pre-Trial Discovery in Maryland Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect Cases
Over the past few months, there have been a number of nursing home abuse and neglect cases involving nursing home employees or management attempting to cover up the allegations made against them. Unfortunately, in some cases, this has turned out to be a successful tactic to evade liability, albeit through…
Court Finds Medical Malpractice Affidavit Is Defective in Bed Sore Case
Last month, an appellate court in Georgia issued a written opinion in a case brought against a hospital involving allegations that the hospital was negligent in allowing the plaintiff to develop a stage IV bed sore. Ultimately, however, the court rejected the plaintiff’s case because the required expert affidavit that…
U.S. Supreme Court Weighs in on Nursing Home Arbitration Clause Issue
Earlier this month, the United States Supreme Court issued a written opinion in a case brought by the surviving family members of two nursing home residents who died while in the care of the defendant nursing home. The case required the court to determine whether a state law was valid…