Jeanette M Sanders v. Francis Alger

CHIEF JUSTICE BALES,

opinion of the Court:

¶ 1 We hold that a patient owes a duty of reasonable care to a caregiver allegedly injured by the patient’s actions, thereby making the patient potentially liable for negligence. We further hold that the negligence claim, which involves an in-home caregiver hired by the Arizona Department of Economic Security (“DES”), is not barred by the firefighter’s rule, a common law doctrine barring recovery by a rescuer for injuries incurred while performing duties as a professional firefighter.

I

¶ 2 We review a trial court’s grant of summary judgment de novo.…