WASHINGTON, D.C., May 15 – Alliance for Justice President Nan Aron released the following statement in response to today’s 7-1 Supreme Court decision in Kindred Nursing Centers v. Clark:
“Forced arbitration agreements are an abusive practice that have been imposed on consumers for far too long, and nowhere are they more objectionable than in contracts for nursing home care. When people die or are hurt in a nursing home, they or their families are often shocked to discover they are blocked from suing the facility because of an arbitration clause in the fine print of the contract they signed. With its ruling today, the Supreme Court found that under the Federal Arbitration Act, the Kindred Nursing facility is entitled to enforce the arbitration agreements signed by persons acting with power of attorney on behalf of two patients who tragically died while under care at the nursing home. This is regrettable. While the ruling shines a light on the terrible circumstances that can surround forced arbitration agreements at nursing homes, it does nothing to resolve the ongoing abuse of this practice. Congress must take steps to put a stop to it.”