Opinion ID: 2190118
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 6

Heading: The Provisions Requiring the Parties to Arbitrate any Personal Injury Claims, and Requiring them to Waive their Right to Have Any Such Claims Decided in a Court of Law, are Procedurally and Substantively Unconscionable

Text: In this case, the provisions of the arbitration agreement that require the Nursing Home and Resident to arbitrate any personal injury claims, and require the parties to waive their right to have any such claims decided in a court of law, are both procedurally and substantively unconscionable. The parties' arbitration agreement is a contract of adhesion. Resident is an individual, and the Nursing Home is a large company  the bargaining power was unequal. The arbitration agreement was presented as a form contract. For the reasons stated below, an average individual seeking nursing home care would not reasonably expect that any personal injury claims arising out of the Nursing Home's care might have to be resolved through arbitration rather than litigation. The decision whether to place an individual under a nursing home's care is difficult and emotional for all parties involved. In some cases, the individual may be incapacitated or disabled so that he is not able to make the decision for himself and loved ones must decide what is best for their friend or family member. In other cases, the individual and his loved ones must decide together whether it is best for him to enter a less independent lifestyle. But in all cases where the decision to place an individual under a nursing home's care is finally made, those involved in the decision reasonably seek and expect that the individual will receive adequate care from the nursing home. Similarly, upon a person's admission to the nursing home, an individual and/or his loved ones are focused on and concerned with the ability of the nursing home to begin adequately caring for the resident. And during the admission process and beyond, the reasonable expectation is that the nursing home will provide adequate care for the resident. Thus, a person in the process of becoming a nursing home resident is not in a position to be thinking about how, if adequate care is not provided and personal injury results, the resident and/or his successors and assigns are going to pursue any future personal injury claims against the nursing home. In particular, the resident is not thinking about whether, by signing a form in conjunction with an admission agreement, he and/or his successors and assigns are waiving their right to have any personal injury claims decided in a court of law. As previously stated, an average individual seeking nursing home care would not reasonably expect that any personal injury claims arising out of the nursing home's care might have to be resolved through arbitration rather than litigation. While I agree with the majority's ultimate finding that the trial court properly denied the Nursing Home's motion to compel arbitration, I would find that the trial court's decision was proper for a different reason. I would hold that the provisions requiring Resident and the Nursing Home to arbitrate any personal injury claims, and requiring them to waive their right to have any such claims decided in a court of law, are unenforceable because they are procedurally and substantively unconscionable. [3]