El Paso Nursing Home Abuse and Negligence During Coronavirus Outbreak

According to a recent article in The Texas Tribune, over 3,000 residents in Texas nursing homes and over 400 residents in assisted living facilities have tested positive for the novel coronavirus to date. There is no evidence that the spread of the disease is contained in Texas, and many nursing home facilities are not adequately prepared. Families here in El Paso are asking difficult questions: Is Mom safe in her nursing home? Should Dad be tested even if he is currently asymptomatic? Would it be best to relocate Grandma to a new facility? If Grandpa is exposed to coronavirus in his long-term care facility, should I contact a lawyer? These are not questions any family should be asking during times of national emergency.

At any time, it is frightening to think that our loved ones residing in nursing homes are vulnerable to abuse and neglect, but it is especially harrowing to know that during the coronavirus outbreak, one of our most vulnerable populations could be most at risk in their care facility homes. El Paso nursing home abuse and negligence during coronavirus outbreak can have devastating effects on our elderly loved ones. If you have a coronavirus claim in El Paso related to nursing home abuse and neglect, we at Carabin Shaw would be happy to put you in contact with our experienced El Paso medical malpractice lawyers. Our team of attorneys has years of practice with medical malpractice suits that are becoming an unfortunate but necessary occurrence in the age of COVID-19.

Nursing home abuse is a form of elder abuse committed by those in a position of trust (i.e. the staff of a nursing home) upon an elderly adult. Nursing home neglect is a form of this, and can happen when a nursing home facility fails to adequately meet the medical, psychological, or hygienic needs of their patients.

In terms of the coronavirus outbreak, nursing home abuse and negligence could mean that the nursing home has failed to adequately prevent the spread of the disease once diagnosed, or failed to quarantine confirmed infected or symptomatic residents. Negligence on these fronts can lead to a quick and deadly spread of the disease among the population most susceptible to debilitating illness and death due to COVID-19.

The CDC has advised that long-term care facilities (such as nursing homes and assisted living facilities) take the following precautions:

• Long-term care facilities should limit or eliminate visitation from non-residents until the rate of infection has lessened.
• Healthcare personnel should wear face masks while working and should take their temperature before beginning a shift. If they are running a fever or exhibiting other coronavirus symptoms, they should take time off from work until they are no longer running an active fever.
• All staff should be practicing effective handwashing and sanitation.
• Staff should designate a quarantined area in the facility to care for potential COVID-19 positive patients; if possible, these residents should be removed to a new facility entirely.
• Staff should actively monitor all residents for signs of coronavirus.
• In the event of a coronavirus outbreak, staff should immediately quarantine affected residents and implement strict lockdown. Families should be notified of the outbreak immediately.

If a nursing home facility fails to adhere to these guidelines, it might be time to contact a lawyer.

If you have a coronavirus claim in El Paso, call toll-free today at 1-800-862-1260 or reach our El Paso office at 915-779-2301. At Carabin Shaw, our attorneys are standing by to help you seek the best settlement possible with El Paso nursing home abuse and negligence during coronavirus outbreak.