People put their loved ones in a nursing home with the expectation and trust that they will be cared for by those who work there. Usually, this is the case and there are no problems. However, there are some cases in which nursing home employees are negligent and can cause harm to those living there. In recent weeks, a pressing issue across the globe has been the rapid spread of the Coronavirus disease. If a nursing home employee is negligent and your loved one becomes infected with the illness as a result, it may be possible to file a lawsuit. Continue reading and contact an experienced Pennsylvania personal injury attorney to learn more.
What are the CDC Guidelines for Nursing Homes?
Since its outbreak began, the world has learned that the Coronavirus is similar to the flu. However, it has a higher mortality rate. The disease spreads through droplets that are sent into their air by a cough or sneeze. This is unfortunate for those who live in close quarters with others, such as nursing homes, as it can cause the virus to spread very fast. This makes it possible for the disease to not only spread between patients, but between healthcare workers and patients.
It is because of this that the Center for Disease Control (CDC) has released serious preventative safety measures that all people, including healthcare workers, should implement in order to avoid the spread of the disease. This includes washing their hands thoroughly and frequently, restricting visitor contact with infected patients, denying infected (or possibly infected) workers access to patients, and wearing personal protective equipment.
How do I Know if I Can Sue a Nursing Home?
If your loved one fell ill with the Coronavirus while they were staying in a nursing home, a medical malpractice claim may be possible. During this time, you are required to prove that the loved one was infected as a direct result of the nursing home’s negligence. This may be the case if they failed to take the necessary preventative measures, thus breaching their duty of care towards the patients living there. In addition to this, if a nursing home was aware that a staff member was infected and failed to sent them home to quarantine/medical treatment and they continued to work, you may be able to hold them liable if your loved one was infected as a result.
Contact our Firm
If you or a loved one has been in a personal injury accident in Pennsylvania, it’s important that you contact an experienced Philadelphia personal injury attorney to help you with your case and to make sure that you are not taken advantage of. Contact Spear Greenfield to get the right attorney in your corner.
Call or text (215) 985-2424 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form