Most assisted living facilities and nursing homes in Florida and throughout the nation have arbitration clauses in their admission agreements. Unfortunately, these arbitration agreements are there to protect the facility from liability and not the residents.

Upon admission, most staff members don’t point out the arbitration agreement to new residents. Instead, residents generally receive a stack of papers to sign. Unfortunately, many residents sign these arbitration clauses without knowing they have ever signed them at admission.

If a potential resident asks about the paperwork, those handling the admission process often make the person believe that he or she has to sign the agreement before being accepted to live at the facility. The reality is that a patient does not have to sign an arbitration clause. However, the assisted living facility or nursing home may tell patients that they have to sign the form.

As a Sarasota nursing home abuse law firm, we would recommend you to read what you are signing upon admission. If there is a mandatory arbitration clause, ask the facility to remove it before signing the contract. In the event you suffer an injury from neglect, abuse or overmedication, you will not have an option to seek justice in a court of law if you sign this form. It is in your best interest to not sign one of these agreements.

Make sure the contract is suitable prior to signing it. If you are concerned about anything you are signing, take the contracts to a skilled Sarasota elder abuse attorney to review.  You can contact Mallard Perez for help at 888-409-3805.