A. The provider is liable to a resident for any intentional or negligent act or omission of their agents or employees which injures the resident. Also, any state employee that aids, abets, assists, or conspires with a provider to perform an act that causes injury to a resident shall be individually liable.
B. A resident may maintain an action under this act for any other type of relief, including injunctive and declaratory relief, permitted by law.
C. Any damages recoverable under this section, including minimum damages as provided by this section, may be recovered in any action which a court may authorize to be brought as a class action. The remedies provided in this section, are in addition to and cumulative with any other legal remedies available to a resident. Exhaustion of any available administrative remedies shall not be required prior to commencement of suit hereunder.
D. Any waiver by a resident or the resident's guardian or advocate of the right to commence an action under this section, whether oral or in writing, shall be null and void, and without legal force or effect.
E. Any party to an action brought under this section shall be entitled to a trial by jury and any waiver of the right to a trial by a jury, whether oral or in writing, prior to the commencement of an action, shall be null and void, and without legal force or effect.
F. No provider or licensee, or agents or employees of a provider or licensee shall transfer, discharge, evict, harass, dismiss or retaliate against a resident, a guardian or advocate of a resident, or an employee or agent who makes a report, brings, or testifies in, an action under this section, or files a complaint because of a report, testimony or complaint.
G. Any person, institution or agency, under this act, participating in good faith in the making of a report, or in the investigation of such a report shall not be deemed to have violated any privileged communication and shall have immunity from any liability, civil or criminal, or any other proceedings, civil or criminal, as a consequence of making such report.
H. An employee or agent of a provider or licensee who becomes aware of abuse, neglect or exploitation of a resident shall immediately report the matter as required by Section 10-104 of Title 43A of the Oklahoma Statutes. A group home administrator who becomes aware of abuse, neglect or exploitation of a resident shall make a report as required by Section 10-104 of Title 43A of the Oklahoma Statutes and take immediate action to ensure the health and safety of the resident.
Added by Laws 1987, c. 225, § 8, eff. July 1, 1987. Amended by Laws 1996, c. 155, § 8, eff. Nov. 1, 1996; Laws 1996, c. 354, § 8, eff. Nov. 1, 1996. Renumbered from § 1-818.8 of Title 63 by Laws 1996, c. 354, § 56, eff. Nov. 1, 1996. Amended by Laws 2006, c. 137, § 5, eff. Nov. 1, 2006.