by Colin G. Meeker, Attorney at Law
email: [email protected] :: 
office: 330.253.3337 :: 
mobile: 330.603.7173
It was reported that, last year, federal regulators ordered nursing homes to prepare for emerging infectious diseases. The U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services deemed planning for an epidemic “critical.” However, not all Ohio nursing homes have complied. Nursing home plans lacked direction on how to protect elderly residents from a pandemic. According to the Centers for Disease Control, as of March 29, 2020, 80% of those who have died from COVID-19 were 65 or older. This lack of preparedness is an issue throughout the country. A North Carolina study indicated that only a small percentage of nursing homes’ disaster plans provide when and how to use personal protective equipment to prevent spreading infection during an outbreak. Many of the plans reviewed in the study showed that the disaster plans did not mention emerging infectious diseases at all.
As the number of COVID-19 cases everywhere increases, we would like to send our thoughts and prayers to everyone affected by the virus.
Nursing Home Liability
Nursing homes in Ohio can be held liable for their failure to implement a proper infection control program. It is likely that, throughout the state, nursing homes lacked a well thought out, evidence based design for protecting their residents from emerging infectious diseases prior to the COVID-19 outbreak. The only way to see whether the home had, or currently has, an infection control program in place is by asking a nursing home administrator for the details. If the administrator shys away from providing you with the records, you should instantly become very nervous for the health and safety of your loved one who is a resident at the home. Usually, hiring a nursing home negligence lawyer is the most efficient way of obtaining the information the nursing home has; working with a lawyers may also uncover public documents which could show additional information or lack thereof. If your loved one has become infected by COVID-19, and the nursing home they reside at was not prepared for emerging infectious diseases, you should always speak with a COVID-19 attorney in your time of need.
The COVID-19 attorneys at Blakemore, Meeker & Bowler Co., L.P.A. are currently interviewing families who lost residents of nursing homes with COVID-19 now. We are experienced in litigating wrongful death and personal injury cases and will be by your side as you grieve while we assist you in compensating you for your loss. Please contact Attorney Colin G. Meeker at (330) 603-7173 for help understanding your legal options.
Note: We have constructed this post using outside sources, including news bulletins and first-hand accounts from outside sources. The details concerning this accident have not been independently verified and so, if you have identified false information, please inform us immediately. We will adjust the post to reflect accurate content.
Disclaimer: At Blakemore, Meeker & Bowler Co., L.P.A., we are always looking to improve the quality and safety of our state and have been saddened by the outcome of the COVID-19 pandemic across Ohio. We hope to inform those in our community about the outbreak in the hopes that those who are responsible for taking care of our elders will work to avoid unnecessary loss of life in the future. These posts are not to be taken as a solicitation for business. The information within should never be misconstrued as medical or legal advice. We hope that all involved in the Coronavirus epidemic will receive a speedy recovery.
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