§ 58-64-70.  Civil liability.

(a) A provider who enters into a contract for continuing care at a facility without having first delivered a disclosure statement meeting the requirements of G.S. 58-64-20 to the person contracting for this continuing care, or enters into a contract for continuing care at a facility with a person who has relied on a disclosure statement that omits to state a material fact required to be stated therein or necessary in order to make the statements made therein, in light of the circumstances under which they are made, not misleading, shall be liable to the person contracting for this continuing care for actual damages and repayment of all fees paid to the provider violating this Article, less the reasonable value of care and lodging provided to the resident by or on whose behalf the contract for continuing care was entered into prior to discovery of the violation, misstatement, or omission or the time the violation, misstatement, or omission should reasonably have been discovered, together with interest thereon at the legal rate for judgments, and court costs and reasonable attorney fees.

(b) Liability under this section exists regardless of whether the provider had actual knowledge of the misstatement or omission.

(c) A person may not file or maintain an action under this section if the person, before filing the action, received a written offer of a refund of all amounts paid the provider, together with interest at the rate established monthly by the Commissioner of Banks pursuant to G.S. 24-1.1(c), less the current contractual value of care and lodging provided prior to receipt of the offer, and if the offer recited the provisions of this section and the recipient of the offer failed to accept it within 30 days of actual receipt.

(d) An action may not be maintained to enforce a liability created under this Article unless brought before the expiration of three years after the execution of the contract for continuing care that gave rise to the violation. (1989, c. 758, s. 1; 1995, c. 193, s. 54; 2003-193, s. 15.)