If coronavirus illness or death is linked to negligent actions of another party, the victim may be able to sue for injuries through a personal injury or class action lawsuit.
COVID-19 Injuries and Deaths
The coronavirus pandemic has impacted millions of people around the world, many now suffering life-threatening injuries and death of family members and friends. The spread of coronavirus has been linked to transmission from close contact with other people infected with the virus. Outbreaks in close quarters and confined spaces are among the highest number of reported cases of illness and death in the United States.
Nursing homes, long-term care facilities, and cruise ships where people are confined to close quarters are among the hardest-hit by COVID-19. Severe illnesses and deaths have skyrocketed to staggering numbers. More than 16,000 nursing home residents and staff members across the country have died from coronavirus, accounting for approximately one-quarter of the nation’s known COVID-19 deaths. In Nevada, Henderson personal injury lawyers have seen a steady rise in nursing home deaths to elderly residents with underlying health conditions.
Cruise ships have high numbers of COVID-19 cases linked to severe illnesses and deaths. The Diamond Princess, an American-owned cruise ship, was put under quarantine in February for two weeks by Japanese officials after a coronavirus outbreak was detected on board. During quarantine, 705 people contracted the virus and four died. The Diamond Princess had the largest concentration of COVID-19 cases outside of mainland China where the virus is believed to have originated. A top Japanese government official has now admitted that quarantine measures on the ship may have allowed infections to spread among the ship’s passengers and crew members.
COVID-19 Lawsuits
Since the coronavirus pandemic began, law offices across the country have seen a steady rise in personal injury cases related to COVID-19. Many lawsuits allege negligent actions on the part of other people as the cause of coronavirus infections and deaths.
Personal injury lawsuits filed against nursing homes and long-term care facilities allege unsanitary conditions, resident neglect, inadequate staff, lack of personal protection equipment, and improper administrative actions. In April, the first COVID-19 wrongful death lawsuit, filed against Life Care Center in Kirkland, Washington, alleges negligence on the part of the nursing home facility. While governments do have the right to stop people with contagious diseases from entering their country, cruise ships are under fire for not getting healthy people off the ship to prevent more infections.