As the coronavirus continues to spread across the United States, officials are tracking cases in nursing homes, where residents are at a heightened risk. According to a recent report, state officials have now reported at least 60 Maryland nursing homes and senior living facilities have confirmed coronavirus cases in the state. There have been six deaths at one facility in Mount Airy. Health officials have reported that 147 nursing homes across 27 states have at least one resident with coronavirus, according to one news report.
The Centers for Disease Control and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services looked into the high fatality rate at the Life Care Center nursing home in Kirkland, Washington, where at least 35 residents or staff have died from the virus. CMS found that the center failed to quickly identify and manage sick residents, notify the state’s health department about the rate of respiratory infection among its residents, and failed to have an adequate backup plan when the facility’s primary clinician became sick.
Seniors are at a greater risk because they are more susceptible to complications from the virus, a CMS administrator said in a statement. People over 65 years old are at a high risk of serious illness and death from the virus, according to the CDC. CMS said it would enhance its inspection process for nursing homes in light of its findings.
Standards in Maryland Nursing Homes
Nursing homes in Maryland are required to meet certain standards when caring for residents. In general, a nursing home must provide residents with a safe environment and must exercise reasonable care in providing care for residents. This means that a facility must take precautions so that its residents do not suffer physical injury or mental distress. Nursing homes should also have adequate policies and procedures in place to prevent abuse and negligently inflicted injuries under different scenarios. Facilities must also have policies and procedures in place that prohibit abusive practices and should investigate and report allegations of abuse and neglect. Nursing homes have to meet different standards under local, state, and federal laws and regulations.
Families of Maryland nursing residents may file a negligence claim against a facility if the nursing home failed to meet the standard of care by failing to properly care for the resident under the circumstances. These cases may involve a lack of care amounting to abuse or neglect, such as unsanitary living conditions and poor personal hygiene.
Contact a Maryland Nursing Home Attorney
If you or a loved one has become sick with coronavirus at a Maryland nursing home or has been the victim of abuse or neglect, talk to an experienced nursing home lawyer. Nursing homes have a duty to adequately care for their residents and should be held responsible if they fail to do so. An experienced nursing home attorney can evaluate your potential claim. At Lebowitz & Mzhen, Personal Injury Lawyers, our attorneys have over two decades of experience representing victims in Maryland and surrounding areas. For a free consultation, contact us at 1-800-654-1949 or via our online form.