Under the Nursing Home Care Act, a successful plaintiff is typically allowed to recover their attorney fees. Prior to the recent Appellate Court opinion in Grauer v. Clare Oaks, a court typically granted attorney fees under the Lodestar Method. Under this method, reasonable fees are calculated by multiplying the number of hours reasonably spent by the attorney on the litigation by a reasonable hourly rate. However, the Appellate Court in Grauer v. Clare Oaks held that a successful plaintiff may recover their attorney fees pursuant to a 1/3 contingency fee agreement. In light of the Grauer opinion, the Plaintiffs’ bar may begin routinely seeking Lodestar fees on small verdicts and contingency fees on large verdicts.
Click here for a more detailed summary of the Court’s opinion.