THI RD DI VI SI ON
M C FA DDEN, C. J.

, D OYLE, P. J.

, and HODGES, J.

N O T IC E : M otions for r e c ons i de r a tion m us t be ph y sic a l ly r e ce iv ed i n our c le r k ’s offic e w ithin te n da y s of the da te of de c is ion to be de e m ed tim e ly file d.
P le a s e r e fe r to the S upr e m e C our t of G e or gia Judic ia l
E m e r ge nc y Or de r o f M a r c h 1 4

, 2 0 2 0 for fur the r infor m a tion a t (https ://w w w

. ga a ppe a ls .us /r ule s ).

June 4, 2020



# I n th e Co u r t o f

A p p eals o f

G eo r g ia

A2 0 A0 32 2

. HUNTER e t a l. v

. LOW NDES COUNTY HEALTH SERVICES, LLC. DO-0 1 1

D O Y LE , Pres i d i n g J u d g e.

San d r a K a y H u n t er, i n di v i d u al l y an d as ad m i n i s t rat ri x o f th e es t at e o f h er

d eceas ed d au g h t er, Kas ey Ly nn W el ch

, s u ed Lo w n d es Co u nt y Heal t h Serv i ces , LLC,

d/ b / a Park wo o d Dev el o p m en t al Cen ter (“ LCHS”) fo r wro n g ful d e a t h a f te r K a se y die d

as a res u l t o f ch o k i n g w h il e a p at ien t at LCHS’ s faci l i t y

. LCHS m o v ed t o c o m p el

arb i t rat i on , an d t h e t ri al co u rt gran t ed t h e m o t i o n

. Hu n t er a p peal s , arg ui n g t h at t h e

t ri al co urt erred b y g ran t i n g t he m o t i o n to co m p el arb it rat i o n b ecau s e t h e arb i t rat i o n

ag reem en t i s un en fo rceab le b as ed o n a l ack o f co n s id erat i o n , LCHS’ s fai lu re t o s i g n

i t

, an d Kas ey ’ s fai l u re t o as sen t t o i t ei t h er at th e t im e H u n t er s i g n ed i t o r aft er Kas ey

reach ed t h e ag e o f m ajo ri t y . Fo r t h e reas o n s t h at fo l l o w , we rev ers e.Th e reco rd s ho ws th at Park wo o d, a r e s i d en t i al care faci l i t y , i s op erat ed by

LCHS. Kas ey , wh o w as b o rn i n Au g u s t 1 9 94

, h ad ch aract eri st i cs o f “ s ev ere au t i s m ,”

d ev el o p m en t al d el ay s , m o o d s wi n g s , an d “ i m p ai red d eci s i o n -m ak i n g ,” an d s h e

ex h ib i t ed ag g res s i v e an d s el f-i n ju ri o u s b eh av io rs

. O n J u l y 1 3

, 2 0 0 6

, Hu n t er ad m i t t ed

1 1 -y ear-o l d Kas ey

t o Park wo o d , wh ere s h e rem ai n ed u n t i l h er d eat h ap p ro x i m at el y

9 y ears l at er. At t h e t i m e of t h e ad m i s s i o n , Kas ey res i d e d wi t h H u n t er, wh o h ad

“ u l ti m at e d eci s i on -m ak i n g au t h o ri t y ” fo r al l m ajo r d ec i s io n s pert ai n i n g t o Kas ey

p u rs u an t t o t h e ch i l d cu s t o d y p ro v i s io n s o f t h e d iv o rce d ecree b et ween Hu n t er an d

Kas ey ’ s fat h er. At o r aro u n d t h e t i m e of t h e ad m i s s i o n, Hu n ter ex ecu t ed m u l t i p l e

d o cu m e n t s o n Kas ey ’ s b eh al f, i n cl u d i n g: an ad m i s s i o n ap p l i cat i on ; an

“ Au t h o ri zat i o n , Co n s en t

, an d R el eas e” au t h o ri zi n g Park wo o d t o faci li t at e Kas ey ’ s

m ed i cal t reat m en t

, o p en an d read h er m ai l, an d rel eas e h er i n fo rm at i o n t o t hi rd p art i es

d eem ed b y Park wo o d t o b e i n Kas ey ’ s b es t i n t eres t s ; an ad m i s s io n ag reem en t ; an d

an arb i t rat i o n ag reem en t (“ t h e Ag reem en t ”).

In t h e Ag reem en t

, Kas ey an d Park wo o d were h an d wri t t en i n as p art i es t h eret o.

Al t h o u g h each o f t h e t wo p ag es co n t ai n ed a b lo ck fo r i n i ti al s , t h ey were l eft b l an k.

Hu n t er si g n ed t h e Ag reem en t as “ Res i d en t ’ s Au t h o ri zed Rep res en t at i v e,” b u t s h e d id

n o t d at e i t

. Th ere w as a s ig n at u re bl o ck fo r “ Faci lt y ’ s Au t h o ri zed Ag en t,” b u t n o o n e

2s i gn ed t h e Ag reem en t o n beh al f o f L C H S o r Park wo o d

, n o r w as t h e “ Faci l i t y ’ s

Au t ho ri zed Rep res en t at i v e” i d en t i fi ed b y n am e.

Th e Ag reem en t p ro v i d es , i n rel ev an t p art , t h at

an y an d al l co n t ro v ers i es , cl ai m s , d i s p u t es , d is ag reem en t s [,] o r d em an d s

o f an y k i n d (referred t o as a “ Cl ai m ” o r “ Cl ai m s ”) ari si n g o u t o f o r

rel at in g t o th e Res id en t ’ s Ad m i s s i o n A greem en t wi t h t h e F a c i li t y (t he

“ Ad m i ss i o n Ag reem en t ”) o r an y s erv i ce o r care p ro v i d ed t o t h e Res i d en t

b y t h e Faci l i t y s hal l b e s et t l ed ex cl u s i v el y b y b i nd i n g arb i t rat i o n

. T h i s

m ean s t h e p art ies are wai v i n g th ei r ri g h t t o a tri al b efo re a ju ry or ju d g e.

. . .

Th e p art i es i n t en d t h at t h i s Arb i t rat io n Ag reem en t s h al l b en efi t an d b e

b i n d i n g u p o n t h e p art i es , t h ei r su cces s o rs an d as s i g n s , i n c l u d in g th e

ag en t s , em

pl oy ees o f t he F a c i l i t y , an d an y on e wh o se Cl ai m i s d eri v ed

t h ro ug h o r o n b eh al f o f t he Res i d en t

, i n cl u d i ng wi t h o u t b ei n g l i m i t ed to

,

an y p aren t

, sp o u s e, ch i l d

, g u ard i an , ex ecu t o r, ad m i n i s t rat o r, l eg al

rep res en t at i v e, o r h ei r o f t h e Res i d en t

.

Kas ey reach ed t h e ag e o f m ajo ri t y o n A u g us t 1 7

, 2 0 1 2 . On Au g us t 3 1 , 2 0 1 5,

2 1 -y ear-o l d Kas ey ch o k ed wh i l e eat i ng d in n er i n t h e Park wo od di n i n g ro om , an d s h e

d i ed t h e fo ll o wi n g d ay

.

On M ay 3

, 2 0 1 7

, Hu n t er’ s at t o rn ey s s en t a l et t er t o LCHS m ak i n g a set t l em en t

d em an d i n reg ard to h er cl ai m s rel at i n g t o K as ey ’ s d eat h

, m en t i o ni n g t h erei n a

3p rev i o u s l et t er i n Feb ru ary 2 0 17 t o LCHS reg ard i n g s et t l em en t

. Th e l et t er al s o s t at ed

t h at Hu n t er co n s id ered t h e Ag reem en t t o b e u n en fo rceab l e becau s e i t w as no t s i g n ed

b y LCHS an d l ack ed co ns i derat i o n , b u t s h e was n o n et h el es s wi t h d rawi n g h er 2 0 0 6

as s en t t o arb i t rat e bas ed o n t he Ag reem en t

. O n J u n e 8

, 2 0 1 7

, Hu n t er, in d i v i du al l y an d

as ad m i n i s t rat ri x o f Kas ey ’ s es t at e, fi l ed t h e in s t an t a ct i o n ag ai n s t LCHS fo r

m a l p ract i ce an d w ro ng fu l d eat h

. 1 On J u l y 1 3

, 2 0 1 7

, LCHS m o v ed to co m p e l

arb i t rat i on , w h i c h H u n t er o p p o s ed o n s ev eral g ro u nd s

. Th e t ri al co u rt gran t ed t h e

m o t i o n in an o rd er p rep ared b y LCHS’ s at t o rn ey s b u t i s s u ed a cert i fi cat e o f

i m m ed i at e rev i ew. Th i s Co u rt g ran t ed Hu n t er’ s i n t erl o cu t o ry ap pl i cat io n , an d t h i s

ap p eal fo l l o w ed

.

1

. Hu n t er arg u es t h at t h e t ri al co u rt erred b y gran t i n g LCHS’ s m o t i o n t o co m p el

arb i t rat i on b ecau s e i t was u n en fo rceab l e. W e ag ree.

“ Arb i trat i o n i s a m at t e r o f c o n t ract

, m ean i n g t h at arb it rat o rs deri v e t h ei r

au t h o ri t y t o res o l v e d i s p ut es o n l y

fro m t h e p art i es ’ ag reem en t .” 2

1 H u n t er al s o n am ed as d efen d an t s Th e Ho sp i t al Au t h o ri t y o f Val d o s t a an d

Lo wn d es Co u n ty

, Geo rg i a, d / b / a So u t h Geo rg i a Med i cal Cen t e r

. T h e s e en t i t i es are

n o t p art i es t o t h i s ap p eal

.

2 (Ci t at i o n an d p u n ct u at i o n o m i t t ed .) Br oo ks Pea n u t Co

. v. Gr ea t S o u t h er n Pea nu t , 3 2 2 Ga. Ap p . 8 0 1 , 8 0 9 (3 ) (7 46 SE2 d 2 7 2 ) (2 0 1 3 ).

4W h et h er a v al i d an d en fo rceab l e arb i trat i o n ag reem en t ex i st s i s a

q u es t i o n o f l aw fo r t he co u rt

. W e t h erefo re rev i ew a t ri al co u rt ’ s o rd er

g ran ti n g or d en y i n g a m o t i o n t o co m p el arb it rat i o n d e n o v o

. [LCHS]

, as

t h e p a rt [y ] s eek i n g arb i t rat i o n , b ear[s ] t h e bu rd en o f p ro v i n g th e

ex i s ten ce o f a v al i d an d en fo rceab l e a g reem en t t o arb i t rat e. A n d th e

v al i d i t y o f an arb i t rat i o n ag reem en t i s gen eral l y g ov ern ed by s tat e l aw

p ri n ci p l es o f co nt ract fo rm at i o n

. 3

In Geo rg i a, “ [t ] o co n s t i t u t e a v al id co n t ract

, t h ere m u s t b e p art i es a b l e t o

co n tract

, a co n si d erat io n m o v i n g t o t h e co n t ract

, th e as s en t o f th e p art i es t o t h e t erm s

o f t h e co nt ract

, an d a s ub

ject m at t er u p o n wh i ch t h e co n t ract can op erat e.” 4 Pu rs u an t

t o OCGA § 13 -3 -2

, “ [t ] h e co n s en t o f t h e p art i es b ei ng es s en t i al t o a co n t rac t

, u n t i l

each h as as s en ted t o al l t h e term s , t h ere i s n o b i n d i n g co n t ract ; u nt i l as s en t ed t o , each

p art y m ay wi t h d raw h is b id o r p ro p o s i t io n

. ”

[W h en ] d et erm i n i n g i f p art i e s h ad t h e m ut u al as s en t o r m eet i n g

o f t h e m i n d s n eces s ary t o reach ag reem en t

, co u rt s ap p l y a n o b ject iv e

t h eo ry o f i n t en t wh ereb y o n e p art y ’ s i n t e n t io n i s d eem ed t o b e t hat

m ean i n g a reas o nab l e m an i n t h e p o s i t i o n o f t he ot her co n t ract i ng p art y

wo u ld as cri b e t o t h e fi rs t p art y ’ s m an i fes t at i o n s o f as s en t, o r t hat

m ean i n g wh i ch t h e ot h er co nt ract i ng p art y k n ew t h e fi rs t p art y as cri b ed

3 (Ci tat i o n an d p un ct u at i on o m i tt ed .) M c K ea n v. GGNS C At l a n ta

, 3 2 9 Ga. Ap p. 5 0 7 , 5 0 9 (1 ) (7 6 5 SE2 d 6 81 ) (2 0 1 4 ).

4 OCGA § 1 3 -3 -1

.

5t o h i s m an i fes t at i o n s o f as s en t

. In so m e in s t an ces , t he o nl y co n du ct o f

t h e p art i es m an i fes t i n g in t en t i s t h e ex p res s l an g uag e o f t h e ag reem en t

. In o t h er i n s t an ces , t h e ci rcu m s t an ces s u rro u n d in g t h e m a k i n g of th e

co n t ract

, s u ch as co rres p o n d en ce an d d i s cu s s i o n s , are rel ev an t i n

d eci di n g i f t h ere was a m u t u al as sen t to an ag reem en t

, an d co u rt s are

free t o co n si d er s u ch ex t ri n si c ev i d en ce. 5

LCHS rel i es on A a r o n v. Un i t ed H ea l t h S vcs

. o f Ga

., In c. 6 to s u p po rt i t s cl ai m

t h at i t s fai l u re t o s i g n t h e Ag reem en t d o es n o t ren d er i t u n e n f o r c eab l e b ecau s e t h e

p a r t i es ’ act i o n s d em o n s t rat e t h ei r m u t u al as s en t. Bu t Aa ro n i s p h y s i cal p reced en t

o n l y , an d t h erefo re n o t b i n d i n g

. 7 It i s al s o fact u al l y d is ti n g u i sh ab l e. In Aa r o n , a

5 (Ci t at i o n s an d p u n ct uat i o n o m i t t ed .) Co x Br o a d ca st i n g Co r

p

. v. Na t

. Co l leg i a t e At h l et ic As s n

. , 2 5 0 Ga. 3 9 1

, 3 95 (2 9 7 SE2 d 7 3 3 ) (1 98 2 ). See al s o Del

La g o V en t u r es v. Q u i kTr i

p Co r p

. , 3 3 0 Ga. Ap p

. 1 38

, 1 4 4 (2 ) (7 64 SE2 d 5 9 5 ) (2 0 1 4 ). (“ As s en t t o t h e t erm s o f a co nt ract m ay b e g i v en o t h er t h an b y s i gn at u res

. . . . If o n e

o f t he p art i es h as n o t si g ned

, h i s accep t an ce i s i n ferred fro m a p erfo rm an ce u n d er t h e

co n tract

, i n p art or i n fu l l

, an d h e b eco m es b o u n d .”) (ci t at io n a n d p u n ct u at i o n

o m it t ed ).

6 3 4 9 Ga. Ap p . 5 6 3

, 5 6 5 (8 2 6 SE2 d 4 4 2 ) (2 0 1 9 ).

7 See Co u rt o f Ap p eal s Ru l e 3 3 .2 (a) (“ If an ap p eal is d eci d ed b y a d i v i s i o n o f

t h i s Co u rt

, a p u b l i sh ed o p i n i o n i n wh i ch al l t h ree p an el ju d g es fu l l y co n cu r i s b i n d i n g
p rece d en t

. An o p i n i o n is p h y s i cal p reced en t o n l y (ci t ab l e as p ers u as i v e, b u t n ot b i n d i n g , au t h o ri t y ), h o wev er, wi t h res p ect t o an y p o rt i o n o f t he p u b l i s h ed o p i n i o n in
wh i ch an y of t h e p an el ju d g es co n cu r i n th e j u d gm en t o nl y , co n cu r s p eci al l y wi t h o ut

a s t at em en t o f ag reem en t wi t h al l t h at i s s ai d i n t h e m ajo ri t y o p in i on , o r d is s en t .”).

6n u rs i n g h o m e s e e k i n g t o en fo rce an arb i t rat i o n ag reem en t fai l ed t o si g n i t

. 8 Th e

n u rs i n g h o m e prep ared t he ag reem en t an d p res en t ed i t t o th e p at i en t ’ s s o n d u ri n g t h e

ad m i s s i o n p ro ces s , an d t h e s o n s i g n ed i t p u rs u an t t o a p ower o f at t o rn ey

. 9 Aft er t h e

p at i en t ’ s d eat h

, h er s o n s u ed t h e n u rs i n g h o m e fo r wro n g fu l d eat h an d s ev eral o t h er

cl ai m s , an d t h e n urs i n g h o m e m o v ed t o co m p el arb i t rat i on

. Th e t ri al co u rt g ran t ed t h e

m o ti o n , an d t h i s Co u rt affi rm ed

, no t i n g t h at th e n u rs i n g h o m e fi l l ed i n t h e i n t en d ed

d at e o f ex ecu t io n an d tai l o red t h e co n t ract l an g u ag e t o t h e p art i es

. 1 0 Th e Co u rt al s o

p o i n t ed o u t t h at t h e n u rs i n g h o m e fi l ed i t s m o t i o n to co m p el o n t h e s am e d at e i t fi l ed

i t s an s wer, t h ereb y “ [s eek i n g ] t o e n f o rce th e [arb i trat i o n a] g reem en t at i t s fi rs t

av ai l ab l e o p p o rt u ni t y .” 1 1

Here, t h e A g reem en t was n o t d at ed

, n o r di d LCHS s i gn i t

. An d al t h o ug h Hu n t er

ad v is ed LCHS t h at s h e in t en d ed t o p u rs u e a cl ai m , LCHS d i d n ot ex p res s i t s as s en t

t o t h e A g reem en t n o t wi t h s t an di n g i t s fai l u re t o s i g n i t n o r d i d i t s eek t o en fo rce i t

8 See Aa r o n , 3 4 9 Ga. at 5 6 4

.

9 See i d

.

1 0 See i d . at 5 6 5 -5 6 6

.

1 1 Id . at 56 6

.

7b efo re Hu n t er rev o k ed h er ag reem en t t o arb i t rat e. 1 2 B e c a u s e Hu nt er rev ok ed h er

as s en t

, t h ere was n o t h i n g f o r LCHS t o as s en t t o an d t h u s n o m eet i ng o f t h e m i n d s ;

t h erefo re, t h e Ag re e m en t was u n en fo rceab l e w h en L CHS s o ug h t t o co m p el

arb i t rat i on

. 1 3 Acco rd i n gl y , t h e t ri al co u rt erred b y g ran t i ng LCHS’ s m o t i on t o co m p el

arb i t rat i on

.

2

. Bas ed on o u r h o l d i ng i n Di v i s i o n 2

, we n eed n o t ad d res s Hu nt er’ s rem ai n i n g

en u m erat i o n s o f erro r.

Ju d g men t r ever sed . McFa d

d en , C. J., a n d

Ho dg es
, J., co n cu r

.

1 2 Al t h o u g h W el ch was a p at i en t at Park w oo d fo r m an y y ears b efo re h er d eat h,

t h ereb y en

jo y i ng t h e b en efi t s o f t h e ad m i s s io n ag reem en t s i g n e d o n h er beh al f by

Hu n t er, t h ere i s n o ev i d en ce i n t h e a p p el l at e reco rd t h at LCHS to o k an y s t ep s to

co n vey i t s in t en t t o as s en t t o t h e arb i trat i o n ag reem en t u nt i l aft er Hu nt er rev o k ed h er

as s en t

. Th e t ri al co u rt ’ s co n cl u s i o n t h at LCHS s t i p u l at ed i n ju di ci o t o t h e ag reem en t i n i t s rep ly b ri ef i n su p p o rt o f i t s m o t i o n t o co m p el d o es n o t i m

p act t h e o ut co m e o f

t h i s cas e b ecau s e Hu n ter h ad al read y rev o k ed h er as s en t at t h at t im e.

1 3 See Tr a n S

o u t h F i n a n ci a l Co r

p. v. Ro o ks

, 2 6 9 G a

. A p p

. 3 2 1

, 32 4 (1 ) (6 0 4
SE2 d 5 6 2 ) (2 0 0 4 ) (h o l d i n g th at an u n si g n ed arb i t rat io n cl au s e is u n en fo rceab l e);
Aa r on , 3 4 9 Ga. Ap p

. at 5 6 6 -5 6 8 (Ho d g es , J

., d i s s en t i n g ). See al so Un i t ed Hea l th
S vcs

. o f Ga

. , In c

. v. Al exa n d

er , 3 4 2 Ga. A p p

. 1

, 1 -5 (a) (8 0 2 SE2 d 3 1 4 ) (2 0 1 7 ) (h o l d i n g t h at an arb i t rat i on ag reem en t bet ween nu rs i n g h o m e an d d au g h t er o f a
p at i en t w as u n en fo rceab l e b ecau s e t h ere was n o as sen t by t h e d au g ht er t o t h e
ag reem en t b as ed o n t h e d au g h t er’ s l ack o f ex p res s o r i m p l i e d au t ho ri t y t o b i n d t h e
p at i en t ).

8