Austin Health Care Facility Liability During COVID-19

Throughout the duration of the coronavirus outbreak, Americans have worried over their loved ones’ safety and security. While the coronavirus has affected everyone regardless of age, gender, race, or religion, it is a fact that the immunocompromised elderly are more likely to be vulnerable to complications brought on by contracting COVID-19, and facilities with large elderly populations, such as nursing homes and assisted living facilities, make contracting the disease that much easier. According to a Hearst Newspapers analysis of state data, 40% of COVID deaths in Texas are linked to nursing homes and assisted living facilities. If you or your loved ones are currently housed in a nursing home, you have a right to reasonable protections from the potential harm or fatality caused by a coronavirus outbreak.

When there is an outbreak in a nursing home, assisted living, or other long-term care facility, that facility has a responsibility to proactively and effectively contain the outbreak and quarantine infected residents. If your facility fails to do so, you might be eligible to seek compensation with the help of a lawyer. The Texas injury lawyers at Carabin Shaw would be the ideal attorneys for your coronavirus injury claim.

According to The Texas Tribune, 311 nursing homes and 112 assisted living facilities in Texas have reported coronavirus cases as of May 15^th, 2020. Depending on how effectively the residents of Texas are able to “flatten the curve” in the coming months, however, it is likely that we are going to see an even higher number of nursing homes and assisted living facilities reporting positive cases. The infection will continue to spread, and it is important to make sure that you and your loved ones are protected.

If there has been a COVID-19 outbreak in your nursing home or your loved one’s long-term care facility, you may be asking what the recommended course of action might be. Any first steps should be taken by the nursing home facility themselves. In the event of an outbreak, the nursing home staff should:

• Immediately test all staff and residents.
• Residents who test positively, whether symptomatic or asymptomatic, should be quarantined from the rest of the population.
• Staff who test positively should be asked to remain home from work.
• Staff should rigorously sanitize all common areas.
• Staff should always wear PPE.
• Staff should limit all non-essential visits to the care facility.

If the nursing home facility fails to take these actions, you might need to seek representation. Your lawyer can help you to:

• Asses any financial damages brought on by medical debt due to contracting the virus.
• Assess any physical damages (such as weakened lung capacity, comatose state, or fatality) from contracting the virus.
• Evaluate to what degree the nursing home failed to respond appropriately to the outbreak and/or to quarantine infected residents.

Speak to the staff of your nursing home facility to make sure they are prepared in the event of a potential outbreak.

If you would like a free, no obligation consultation with an experienced attorney at Carabin Shaw, please call us toll-free at 1-800-862-1260. We are here to represent you as you seek compensation for your coronavirus nursing home claim in Texas. We serve all of the major metropolitan areas in Texas, including San Antonio, Houston, El Paso, Austin, Midland, Dallas, and Fort Worth, among others. As proud Texans, we believe in representing the best interests of neighbors after a covid outbreak in a Texas nursing home.