Jeanette M. Sanders, Plaintiff/appellant v. Francis Alger, Defendant/appellee

Summary

The court held that a patient owes an in-home caregiver a duty of reasonable care when the patient's conduct creates a risk of physical harm to the caregiver, based on their direct relationship. It also held that the firefighter's rule does not bar the caregiver's negligence claim because caregivers are not professional public-safety rescuers and the rule must be construed narrowly. The court reversed the summary judgment for the patient and remanded for further proceedings.