For this assignment you are to do some research. The Health Care industry has been, for a while now, a place of many lawsuits. Some are legitimate and others are what has been called frivolous. As an Administrator you need to be aware of the liability and risks that exist in your community. This assignment is not meant to frighten, alarm or cause anyone to not to want to work in our field. It is meant to open our eyes to what is happening in the legal world of healthcare so we can be better prepared to lead our teams and minimize risks. For this assignment answer the following questions. Find scholarly or government data for your answers. Avoid attorney sites for this particular set of questions.

1. What is the average time it takes to settle a nursing home lawsuit? Why does it take that length of time on average? Can you think of any pros and cons to this information?

2. What is the average cost to settle a nursing home lawsuit? What impact does this have on the community/company indivually as well as the health care industry as a whole?

3. Do lawsuits tend to go to court/trial or do they tend to settle out of court? What are the pros and cons to each?