Of all the victims of the COVID-19 crisis across America, residents of congregate settings like nursing homes are one of the most vulnerable. Veterans’ facilities have been particularly hard hit, resulting in the nation’s first criminal indictments of two leaders of a Massachusetts nursing home for military retirees.
Allegations against the former superintendent and medical director of a state-run nursing home indicate a pattern of misconduct, abuse and neglect that contributed to a deadly outbreak at the veterans’ facility. If convicted, the officials could face prison time, according to The Washington Post.
Living in Unthinkable Conditions
The Massachusetts case stems from the facility’s leaders’ alleged roles in abuse and mistreatment of elderly and disabled residents at the Soldiers’ Home in Holyoke. In addition to the 76 veterans who died of COVID-19 at the nursing home, 84 residents and 80 staff members tested positive for the illness.
The case centers on the decision to consolidate two dementia units, placing residents who had tested positive for the coronavirus “within feet” of others who had not. One unit that typically had 25 residents was packed with 42, including nine whose beds were in a dining room, said Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey.
More than 5,000 veterans have died from the novel coronavirus in VA facilities since the pandemic began, according to a recent UPI report.
Stand for Justice for Victims of COVID-19
If you or someone you love has been neglected, mistreated or injured in a veterans’ facility during the COVID-19 pandemic, you may have grounds to take legal action. While much is still unknown about what the legal consequences will be, there’s good reason to believe that medical malpractice lawsuits will arise from the inadequate treatment or diagnosis of the novel coronavirus in the future.
At the Law Offices of Dr. Michael M. Wilson, M.D., J.D. & Associates, we exclusively handle medical malpractice cases. As a graduate of Georgetown law and medical schools, Dr. Wilson provides a 360-degree view of medical malpractice claims. With more than 30 years of representing injured clients, he has established an impressive track record — obtaining well over $100 million in compensation for his clients.
With offices in the heart of Washington, D.C., the law firm works with victims of medical malpractice and elder abuse in D.C., Maryland, and Virginia. In addition, Dr. Wilson takes on select cases throughout the United States.
Questions? Contact us today for a free consultation.
Dr. Michael M. Wilson is an attorney and a physician who earned his undergraduate degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and his legal and medical degrees from Georgetown University. He has focused in the area of medical malpractice for more than three decades and secured more than $100 million in settlements and verdicts on behalf of clients throughout the country. He is admitted to practice in the District of Columbia and New York as well as the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia and the U.S. Supreme Court. He is listed in America’s Top 100 High Stakes Litigators.
