Often, an incoming resident and their family deal with a blizzard of paperwork upon entry into a nursing home or assisted living facility. That time is stressful and rushed because of a hospitalization or health crisis, so they do not have ample time to scrutinize the documents or consult an attorney.
In their haste, they unwittingly surrender their right to a day in court by agreeing to an arbitration clause in the contract. Not scrutinizing those documents can prove costly.
Consulting an elder law attorney before signing that contract can help.
Read more in this article by Paula Span in the New York Times: Arbitration Has Come to Senior Living. You Don’t Have to Sign Up.
Elder law attorney, Terry Garrett, is a member of the National Academy of Elder Law Attorneys and is an Approved Guardianship Attorney. She assists people in elder law, estate and special needs planning, guardianship and settling estates. She graduated with honors from Cornell University. She was on the Dean’s List at Wharton Business School. She earned her J.D. at Columbia Law School, receiving the Parker Award and a Mellon Fellowship.
