24 Hours to Notify

by Colin G. Meeker, Attorney at Law

email: [email protected] :: office: 330.253.3337 :: mobile: 330.603.7173

On April 13, 2020, Governor Mike DeWine issued a new executive order requiring nursing homes to notify residents and their families of anyone in their facility who tests positive for COVID-19. Under the terms of the order, nursing homes have 24 hours from the time a resident or staff member tests positive to disclose the information. Ohio has also released a list of all long-term facilities where someone has tested positive for COVID-19.    

As Ohio’s COVID-19 numbers continue to increase, we would like to send our prayers to everyone affected by the virus.

Nursing Home Liability 

Governor DeWine’s order was unneeded; nursing homes should have immediately notified residents and family members if a resident tested positive for COVID-19 at a nursing home since the beginning of the outbreak. Nursing home residents have the right to participate in decisions that affect the resident’s life, including obtaining complete and current information concerning medical conditions. It is nursing home neglect to withhold from residents and their families the fact that COVID-19 has infiltrated the nursing home. With that information, residents and their families can make quick decisions. At the onset of the outbreak in the facility, families can make the decision to remove the resident from the home. Similarly, with this knowledge, residents can improve their own self-quarantine regimens and social distancing.

If your loved one has become infected by COVID-19 while at a nursing home, and you did not learn about it until it was too late to act, 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 meeting with families who lost residents of nursing homes with COVID-19 now. We are experienced in litigating wrongful death and personal injury cases and will always be transparent with you concerning your options in order to compensate 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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