§ 20-10-1209 - Civil enforcement. - Arkansas Statutes

20-10-1209. Civil enforcement.

(a) (1) Any resident who is injured by a deprivation or infringement of his or her rights as specified in this subchapter may bring a cause of action against any licensee responsible for the deprivation or infringement.

(2) The action may be brought by the resident or his or her guardian or by the personal representative of the estate of a deceased resident.

(3) The action may be brought in any court of competent jurisdiction in the county in which the injury occurred or where the licensee is located to enforce such rights and to recover actual and punitive damages.

(4) The resident may seek to recover actual damages when there is a finding that an employee of the long-term care facility failed to do something which a reasonably careful person would do or did something which a reasonable person would not do under circumstances similar to those shown by the evidence in the case, which caused an injury due to an infringement or a deprivation of the resident's rights.

(5) No separate award of attorney's fees may be made by the court.

(b) (1) A licensee shall not be liable for the medical negligence of any physician rendering care or treatment to the resident, except for the services of a medical director as required in this subchapter.

(2) Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to protect a licensee from liability for failure to provide a resident with appropriate observation, assessment, nursing diagnosis, planning, intervention, and evaluation of care by nursing staff.

(c) For the purpose of this section, punitive damages may be awarded for conduct which is willful, wanton, gross or flagrant, reckless, or consciously indifferent to the rights of the resident.