Jessie Lynch became seriously ill and needed medical attention. Her sister, Ethel Sales, took her to the Forsyth Memorial Hospital in North Carolina for treatment. Lynch was ad-mitted for hospitalization. Sales signed Lynch’s admission form, which included the following section:
The undersigned, in consideration of hospital services being rendered or to be rendered by Forsyth County Memorial Hospital Authority, Inc., in Winston- Salem, N. C., to the above patient, does hereby guarantee payment to Forsyth County Hospital Authority, Inc., on demand all charges for said services and incidentals incurred on be-half of such patient.
Lynch received care and services rendered by the hospital until her discharge more than 30 days later. The total bill during her hospitalization amounted to $ 7,977. When Lynch refused to pay the bill, the hospital instituted an action against Lynch and Sales to recover the unpaid amount. Is Sales liable? Did Sales act ethically in denying liability? Did she have a choice when she signed the contract? Forsyth County Memorial Hospital Authority, Inc. v. Sales, 346 S. E. 2d 212, 1986 N. C. App. Lexis 2432 (Court of Appeals of North Carolina)