Legal roundup: Fire firm changes name, adds new hire

A Farmington Hills-based firm that specializes in fire-related cases has made an addition to its firm name as two attorneys have been named firm shareholders.

Arbitration remains an option for nursing homes

Kindred Nursing Centers v. Clark, a May 2017 U.S. Supreme Court decision confirming the reach of the Federal Arbitration Act (FAA), and a new revised rule from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), have green-lighted arbitration agreements in long-term care facilities.

Tort Law: Determining gross negligence vs. intentional tort — intent is dispositive

A plaintiff is barred from bringing a gross negligence claim only when that “claim of gross negligence is fully premised on” the intentional tort claim. Intent is dispositive. In cases where the defendant made a conscious decision to initiate unwanted contact, a claim in gross negligence cannot stand.