DECISION

Hackensack Meridian Health, Inc. v. Salman Parker

Claim Number: FA2604002214849

PARTIES

Complainant is Hackensack Meridian Health, Inc. ("Complainant"), represented by Sarah E. Bro of McDermott Will & Schulte LLP, California, USA. Respondent is Salman Parker ("Respondent"), Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

REGISTRAR AND DISPUTED DOMAIN NAME

The domain name at issue is <meridianhealth.app> (the "Disputed Domain Name"), registered with GoDaddy.com, LLC.

PANEL

The undersigned certifies that he has acted independently and impartially and to the best of his knowledge has no known conflict in serving as Panelist in this proceeding.

 

David L. Kreider, Chartered Arbitrator (UK), as Panelist.

PROCEDURAL HISTORY

Complainant submitted a Complaint to Forum electronically on April 8, 2026; Forum received payment on April 8, 2026. Complainant submitted an Amended Complaint on April 14, 2026.

 

On April 10, 2026, GoDaddy.com, LLC confirmed by e-mail to Forum that the <meridianhealth.app> domain name is registered with GoDaddy.com, LLC and that Respondent is the current registrant of the name. GoDaddy.com, LLC has verified that Respondent is bound by the GoDaddy.com, LLC registration agreement and has thereby agreed to resolve domain disputes brought by third parties in accordance with ICANN's Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (the "Policy").

 

On April 14, 2026, Forum served the Amended Complaint and all Annexes, including a Written Notice of the Complaint, setting a deadline of May 4, 2026, by which Respondent could file a Response to the Complaint, via e-mail to all entities and persons listed on Respondent's registration as technical, administrative, and billing contacts, and to postmaster@meridianhealth.app. Also on April 14, 2026, the Written Notice of the Complaint, notifying Respondent of the e-mail addresses served and the deadline for a Response, was transmitted to Respondent via post and fax, to all entities and persons listed on Respondent's registration as technical, administrative and billing contacts.

 

Having received no response from Respondent, Forum transmitted to the parties a Notification of Respondent Default.

 

On May 5, 2026, pursuant to Complainant's request to have the dispute decided by a single-member Panel, Forum appointed David L. Kreider as Panelist.

 

Having reviewed the communications records, the Administrative Panel (the "Panel") finds that Forum has discharged its responsibility under Paragraph 2(a) of the Rules for Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy (the "Rules") "to employ reasonably available means calculated to achieve actual notice to Respondent" through submission of Electronic and Written Notices, as defined in Rule 1 and Rule 2. Therefore, the Panel may issue its decision based on the documents submitted and in accordance with the ICANN Policy, ICANN Rules, Forum's Supplemental Rules and any rules and principles of law that the Panel deems applicable, without the benefit of any response from Respondent.

 

RELIEF SOUGHT

Complainant requests that the domain name be transferred from Respondent to Complainant.

 

PARTIES' CONTENTIONS

A. Complainant

Complainant alleges:

That Complainant is an integrated network of healthcare providers and the largest healthcare provider in the State of New Jersey, providing services through an array of hospitals, ambulatory care centers, fitness and wellness centers, home health services, rehabilitation centers, and skilled nursing centers. Complainant has used the MERIDIAN HEALTH trademark since 1997 and, since at least as early as 2016, following a merger between Hackensack University Health Network and Meridian Health, Complainant has used the trademark HACKENSACK MERIDIAN HEALTH (collectively with related marks, the "Marks"). Complainant has owned and used the domain name <meridianhealth.com> since at least as early as 2016.

 

That Complainant's rights in the Marks are evidenced by United States trademark registrations and applications, as well as long, continuous, and prominent common-law use, and the Marks have acquired significant goodwill and public recognition. HACKENSACK UNIVERSITY MEDICAL CENTER has been ranked the #1 hospital in New Jersey by U.S. News & World Report in its 2025-2026 rankings, and is among the top 20 hospitals in the United States.

 

That the Disputed Domain Name <meridianhealth.app> is identical to Complainant's MERIDIAN HEALTH mark and to Complainant's domain name <meridianhealth.com>, except that the gTLD is different. The mere addition of the ".app" gTLD cannot distinguish the Disputed Domain Name from Complainant's Marks.

 

That Respondent has no rights or legitimate interests in the Disputed Domain Name. Respondent is neither affiliated with, nor licensed or otherwise authorized to use, Complainant's Marks. As confirmed by the Forum's Domain Name Dispute Verification Request Notice, Respondent is identified as "Salman Parker" and is not commonly known by the Disputed Domain Name. At all times relevant to this Complaint, the Disputed Domain Name has resolved to a parked page with sponsored, click-through links displayed under the guise of "Related searches," which is neither a bona fide offering of goods or services nor a legitimate noncommercial or fair use of the Disputed Domain Name.

 

That Respondent registered and is using the Disputed Domain Name in bad faith. Respondent registered the Disputed Domain Name on December 14, 2025, decades after Complainant established rights in the MERIDIAN HEALTH mark and registered the corresponding <meridianhealth.com> domain. By registering a domain name that is identical to Complainant's well-known MERIDIAN HEALTH mark and resolves to a parked page featuring sponsored, click-through links from which Respondent presumptively benefits commercially through click-through fees, Respondent has intentionally attempted to attract, for commercial gain, Internet users to a website by creating a likelihood of confusion with Complainant's Marks as to source, sponsorship, affiliation, or endorsement, in violation of Policy ¶ 4(b)(iv).

 

B. Respondent

Respondent failed to submit a Response in this proceeding.

FINDINGS

The Panel finds the following:

Complainant is an integrated healthcare network and the largest healthcare provider in the State of New Jersey. Complainant has used the MERIDIAN HEALTH mark since 1997 and the HACKENSACK MERIDIAN HEALTH mark since 2016. Complainant has registered the Marks with the United States Patent and Trademark Office and has continuously used and promoted the Marks in commerce. Complainant has owned and used the domain name <meridianhealth.com> since at least as early as 2016.

 

Respondent registered the Disputed Domain Name <meridianhealth.app> on December 14, 2025. The Registrar-supplied WHOIS information identifies Respondent as "Salman Parker." There is no evidence that Respondent is commonly known by the Disputed Domain Name or by MERIDIAN HEALTH or any similar name under Policy ¶ 4(c)(ii).

 

The Disputed Domain Name resolves to a parked page ("Respondent's Website") that displays sponsored, click-through hyperlinks presented under the guise of "Related searches," together with text indicating that the Disputed Domain Name "is parked free, courtesy of GoDaddy.com," and offering the opportunity to "Get This Domain."

DISCUSSION

Paragraph 15(a) of the Rules instructs this Panel to "decide a complaint on the basis of the statements and documents submitted and in accordance with the Policy, these Rules and any rules and principles of law that it deems applicable."

 

Paragraph 4(a) of the Policy requires that Complainant must prove each of the following three elements to obtain an order that a domain name should be cancelled or transferred:

1) the domain name registered by Respondent is identical or confusingly similar to a trademark or service mark in which Complainant has rights; and

2) Respondent has no rights or legitimate interests in respect of the domain name; and

3) the domain name has been registered and is being used in bad faith.

In view of Respondent's failure to submit a response, the Panel shall decide this administrative proceeding on the basis of Complainant's undisputed representations pursuant to paragraphs 5(f), 14(a) and 15(a) of the Rules and draw such inferences it considers appropriate pursuant to paragraph 14(b) of the Rules. The Panel is entitled to accept all reasonable allegations set forth in a complaint; however, the Panel may deny relief where a complaint contains mere conclusory or unsubstantiated arguments. See WIPO Jurisprudential Overview 3.0 at ¶ 4.3; see also eGalaxy Multimedia Inc. v. ON HOLD By Owner Ready To Expire, FA 157287 (Forum June 26, 2003) ("Because Complainant did not produce clear evidence to support its subjective allegations [ . . . ] the Panel finds it appropriate to dismiss the Complaint").

 

Identical and/or Confusingly Similar

Complainant has established rights in the MERIDIAN HEALTH and HACKENSACK MERIDIAN HEALTH marks through registration with the United States Patent and Trademark Office and through long, continuous use in commerce since 1997 and 2016, respectively. See WIPO Overview 3.0, ¶ 1.2.1.

 

The Disputed Domain Name <meridianhealth.app> is identical to Complainant's MERIDIAN HEALTH mark but for the addition of the ".app" gTLD. The Disputed Domain Name is also identical to Complainant's long-held domain name <meridianhealth.com> but for the gTLD. The mere addition of a gTLD—whether ".com," ".app," or any other TLD—does not avoid identity or confusing similarity for purposes of the first element. See WIPO Overview 3.0, ¶ 1.11.1; Sesame AI, Inc. v. Oliver Martinez, FA 2206781 (Forum Mar. 19, 2026) (finding that "merely adding the '.app' gTLD to an entirely incorporated mark rendered the disputed domain name confusingly similar to the mark under Policy ¶ 4(a)(i)"); CreditNinja Lending, LLC v. James Slavin, FA 2017053 (Forum Dec. 1, 2022) (finding that the respondent's disputed domain name <creditninja.loans> was confusingly similar to the complainant's domain name <creditninja.com> and identical to its CREDIT NINJA mark).

 

The Panel finds that the Disputed Domain Name is identical or confusingly similar to Complainant's MERIDIAN HEALTH mark under Policy ¶ 4(a)(i).

 

Rights or Legitimate Interests

Complainant must first make a prima facie case that Respondent lacks rights and legitimate interests in the Disputed Domain Name, at which point the burden shifts to Respondent to show that it does have rights or legitimate interests. See WIPO Overview 3.0, ¶ 2.1; Lockheed Martin Corporation v. Zhichao Yang, FA 1714221 (Forum Feb. 28, 2017).

 

The WHOIS information identifies Respondent as "Salman Parker," and there is no evidence that Respondent has been commonly known by the Disputed Domain Name or by MERIDIAN HEALTH under Policy ¶ 4(c)(ii). See Tercent Inc. v. Lee Yi, FA 139720 (Forum Feb. 10, 2003) (stating "nothing in [r]espondent's WHOIS information implies that [r]espondent is 'commonly known by' the disputed domain name" as one factor in determining that Policy ¶ 4(c)(ii) does not apply). Respondent is not affiliated with Complainant and has not been licensed or otherwise authorized to use the Marks.

 

Respondent's Website is a parked page displaying sponsored, click-through hyperlinks. Using a domain name that incorporates a complainant's mark to host a parked page of pay-per-click links is neither a bona fide offering of goods or services under Policy ¶ 4(c)(i) nor a legitimate noncommercial or fair use under Policy ¶ 4(c)(iii). See WIPO Overview 3.0, ¶ 2.9; Rush University Medical Center v. Nazar Grushchak, FA 1768684 (Forum Feb. 20, 2018) (finding no legitimate interest in the <rush.health> domain name used to resolve to a website that contained a series of hyperlinks redirecting users to competing and unrelated services); Hackensack Meridian Health, Inc. v. Zhichao Yang, FA 2102605 (Forum July 11, 2024) (finding that the respondent failed to make a bona fide offering of goods or services or a legitimate noncommercial or fair use when the resolving webpage "showcase[s] third-party links such as 'Medical Billing Services,' 'Electronic Medical Records,' and 'Patient Scheduling System'").

 

Respondent has not submitted a Response or provided any evidence of rights or legitimate interests in the Disputed Domain Name. Accordingly, the Panel finds that Respondent has no rights or legitimate interests in respect of the Disputed Domain Name under Policy ¶ 4(a)(ii).

 

Registration and Use in Bad Faith

Respondent registered the Disputed Domain Name <meridianhealth.app> on December 14, 2025, nearly three decades after Complainant first established rights in the MERIDIAN HEALTH mark and approximately a decade after Complainant began using the corresponding <meridianhealth.com> domain. Given the well-known status of the Marks within the New Jersey and New York Metropolitan healthcare market, Respondent's verbatim incorporation of the MERIDIAN HEALTH mark in the Disputed Domain Name supports the inference that Respondent had actual knowledge of Complainant and its rights at the time of registration. See WIPO Overview 3.0, ¶ 3.2.1; Indiana University Health, Inc. v. NameSilo, LLC / Domain Administrator, FA 2074612 (Forum Jan. 4, 2024) ("The [d]isputed [d]omain [n]ame has no obvious meaning in itself and as it is almost identical to [c]omplainant's IU HEALTH mark, it is implausible that it was chosen and registered without the registrant having actual knowledge of [c]omplainant, its rights and its mark.").

 

Respondent uses the Disputed Domain Name to resolve to a parked page featuring sponsored, click-through hyperlinks. By registering and using a domain name that is identical to Complainant's MERIDIAN HEALTH mark to attract Internet users seeking Complainant's goods and services and divert them, for Respondent's commercial gain, to third-party links from which click-through revenue may be derived, Respondent has created a likelihood of confusion with Complainant's Marks as to source, sponsorship, affiliation, or endorsement. This conduct constitutes bad faith under Policy ¶ 4(b)(iv). See Google LLC v. Nanci Nette / Name Management Group / Nette, Nanci, FA 1970614 (Forum Dec. 7, 2021); Hackensack Meridian Health, Inc. v. Zhichao Yang, FA 2102605 (Forum July 11, 2024).

 

The Panel finds that Respondent registered and is using the Disputed Domain Name in bad faith under Policy ¶ 4(a)(iii).

DECISION

Having established all three elements required under the ICANN Policy, the Panel concludes that relief shall be GRANTED.

 

Accordingly, it is Ordered that the <meridianhealth.app> domain name be TRANSFERRED from Respondent to Complainant.

 

 

David L. Kreider, Panelist

Dated: May 6, 2026