Q: Can nursing homes be sued if residents get the coronavirus?
Santa Fe nursing home neglect attorneys protect and seek restitution for residents who suffer abuse or neglect at the hands of those entrusted with their care. Sadly, vulnerable senior citizens frequently face elder abuse– which can be physical, emotional, and/or financial in nature.
Seniors are also are subject to neglect which may result in them falling or suffering from things like pressure sores – – both situations that could result in serious personal injury or death.
National news headlines often tell of horrors allegedly existing behind the scenes in nursing homes. The COVID-19 global pandemic – with its serious threat to the sick and elderly – has made adherence to safety protocols more important than ever for nursing home residents and staff. But the uptick in nursing home deaths has led to several investigations into whether infection control deficiencies placed nursing home residents at a higher risk of serious injury or death from the novel coronavirus.
A Las Vegas nursing home reportedly failed “to follow federal guidelines to isolate patients known or suspected to have COVID-19 in a quarantine wing with designated staffers”.
Nursing home shortcomings that may support a COVID-19 based personal injury or wrongful death claim may include:
- not recognizing or following up on symptoms of the disease;
- not isolating patients with symptoms or confirmed disease from non-exposed roommates or general population;
- not following federal guidelines including utilizing “quarantine wings with designated staffers”;
- not providing personal protective equipment “PPE” to staff;
- not providing staff with training on the proper use of PPE;
- violation of infection control protocols by staff including disinfecting machines or equipment between patients and rooms, and improper use of gloves and handwashing procedures.
Personal injury and wrongful death actions arise when a person or entity that has a duty of care to another person breaches that duty through their negligent, reckless, or intentional actions or inactions, causing serious injury or death. It’s important to note that state laws differ and may be impacted by executive orders related to COVID-19, so seeking counsel from a skilled personal injury attorney regarding your particular case is important.
If you or a loved one has been injured or a loved one has been killed in a nursing home, the nursing home neglect attorneys at the Hunt Law Firm can help you. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation.
From our office in Santa Fe, we’ve been providing powerful legal representation and caring, efficient service to injury victims in Albuquerque, Rio Rancho, Raton, Roswell, Los Alamos, Las Vegas, and throughout the state of New Mexico for nearly 20 years.