The coronavirus pandemic has cost the lives of 100,000 Americans. And recent studies estimate that a staggering 40 to 50% of those deaths occurred in nursing homes. Because of the astonishing death toll in these facilities, nursing homes have been referred to as the epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic in the United States. Tragically, the true death toll is as yet unknown—many states are not yet publicly reporting their data on nursing home COVID-19 deaths. If you or a loved one contracted coronavirus in a nursing home facility in Texas, you should know that you may be able to file a coronavirus nursing home claim against the negligent facility where the infection occurred. To learn more about negligence claims against Texas nursing homes with coronavirus outbreaks, read on—and find out how our Texas injury lawyers can help.
What We Still Don’t Know About COVID-19 and Texas Nursing HomesWhat we do know about COVID-19 and nursing homes is that they are a deadly combination; elderly people with pre-existing health conditions are both the most at-risk group for serious COVID-19 complications and also the demographic of nearly every nursing home. We know that nursing homes have been hotspots for coronavirus both in the United States and abroad. But we still do not know which facilities in Texas have outbreaks.
Shockingly, the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (which is in charge of regulating nursing homes and other assisted living facilities in the state) is keeping the public in the dark about which facilities have coronavirus outbreaks. They are justifying this secrecy by citing medical privacy laws, but the lack of information means that family members of nursing home residents have no way of knowing whether their loved one is living in a facility with an outbreak.
While the governor has ordered all nursing home residents to be tested for the virus, a great number of facilities have still not been tested—and family members are left in the dark.
When Can Nursing Homes be Sued for Coronavirus Infections?Nursing homes have a legal duty of care to protect their residents from injuries, accidents, and contagious illnesses. Although we are in uncharted legal territory, our experts say that there is a strong negligence case to be made for many of the nursing home facilities currently experiencing outbreaks under existing nursing home negligence laws. You may have grounds for a lawsuit if the nursing home in question:
If you are unsure whether or not the above applies to the nursing home in question, our attorneys can help you investigate the circumstances surrounding your case and can advise you of your legal options.
Want to Learn More? Contact Our Texas Injury Lawyers for a Free ConsultationHere at Carabin Shaw, we want to help victims who have been harmed by negligent Texas nursing homes with coronavirus outbreaks. A personal injury claim can help victims get justice and compensation following a death caused by negligence—and coronavirus nursing home victims or their relatives may very well qualify to file these claims. And because your first consultation with an attorney is free, you have absolutely nothing to lose by calling us to learn how we can help you and your family.
To schedule your free consultation with an experienced lawyer at Carabin Shaw, call us today at 210-222-2288. Don’t wait—give our team a call and find out how our talented lawyers can help you get the compensation you deserve after nursing home exposure to COVID-19.