Cheyenne, WY — The Wyoming Supreme Court has ruled that a nursing home in the state must pay the full amount of damages awarded to the daughter of a deceased resident, following allegations of negligent care. The decision overturns a previous trial court ruling that had reduced the damages payable by Legacy Living and Rehabilitation Center, assigning responsibility only according to its share of the fault.
The court found that the trial judge had erred in not holding the facility fully accountable for the total damages, including those caused by an agent of the nursing home. This legal clarification by the state’s highest court mandates the facility to bear the full financial responsibility as initially determined by the jury’s verdict.
This case originated from a lawsuit filed by the daughter of a deceased resident, who claimed that negligent treatment by the nursing home and its designated agent led to her mother’s suffering and subsequent death. The jury, after hearing the evidence, sided with the plaintiff, assigning a portion of the blame to the nursing home and the rest to the agent involved.
However, the trial judge later adjusted the jury’s award, reducing the payout by the nursing home to reflect only its specific share of the fault. This reduction was based on the notion that each party should be liable only for the percentage of negligence attributed to them. The Wyoming Supreme Court’s ruling, however, stipulates that such a segmentation was incorrect and that the nursing home is wholly responsible for the total amount of damages awarded.
Wednesday’s decision from the Wyoming Supreme Court not only underscores the accountability of care facilities in adhering to their duty of care but also clarifies the application of liability in cases involving multiple negligent parties under state law. This ruling may prompt nursing homes across Wyoming to reevaluate their operational and care protocols to avoid similar legal repercussions.
The implications of this decision are significant, as it reinforces the principle that entities cannot merely rely on divided liabilities in cases of shared negligence. It sets a precedent that could influence future negligence cases within Wyoming and possibly beyond its borders, depending on how other states interpret similar situations.
The Legacy Living and Rehabilitation Center now must comply with the Supreme Court’s order to pay the full jury-awarded damages, as the case returns to the trial court to enter judgment accordingly.
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