New Jersey Agrees to Pay $53 to Families of Veterans Who Died From Covid-19 in Nursing Homes
The families of 119 military veterans who died from COVID-19 at state-managed homes during the early days of the coronavirus pandemic will receive nearly $53 million from the state of New Jersey.
Many family members filed lawsuits against the state, accusing it of gross negligence. This out-of-court nursing home settlement resolves those claims for the families, who could receive between 4 and 5 hundred thousand dollars each.
Nursing Home Lawsuits Alleged Nursing Home Neglect
Reports indicate that during 2020, more than one-third of the residents at two New Jersey-run veteran’s homes died from Covid-19; almost 200 people.
Lawsuits were filed by 119 families of the victims. Their complaints included allegations that the nursing homes failed to meet the required standards of care. Stated more simply, the lawsuits blame the deaths on nursing home neglect.
Some allegations against the nursing homes and staff include:
- not following proper infection control measures
- allowing residents to gather knowing new infections were present
- not wearing gloves
- failing to wear masks
- failing to provide adequate care, which might include supervision, mobilization, food, water, medication, emotional stimulation, attention to hygiene
Will States Follow New Jersey’s Lead and Settle Nursing Home Neglect Litigation?
The US has more than 15,000 nursing homes that are Medicare/Medicaid certified. More than 184,000 of the 1.3 million residents and staffers died from Covid-19 as of July 2021.
New Jersey is only state facing litigation over alleged since the Covid-19 outbreak. Some states have made it difficult to pursue claims against nursing homes, but there are multiple litigations pending and being prepared across America.
Covid-19 outbreaks in nursing homes have received widespread attention since the earliest days of the pandemic, with questions raised about the protocols, care, and safety of nursing home residents. Factors like understaffing, patient vulnerability, and unpreparedness may have contributed to high infection and mortality in some nursing homes.
As agencies like the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention continue to examine the link between nursing home neglect and Covid-19, it remains to be seen what will occur in other nursing home neglect litigation. The $53 million settlement in New Jersey appears to be the first of its kind directly related to Covid-19 deaths in nursing homes. Time will tell if other states attempt to similarly resolve nursing home neglect claims.
Call Alonso Krangle, LLP, If Your Loved One Died In a Nursing Home
Call our nursing home neglect lawyers at 800-403-6191 if someone you love died while living in a nursing home. If the nursing home was negligent, you might be able to collect compensation.
Call Alonso Krangle, LLP today to schedule a free review of your nursing home neglect case.
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