Georgia Law Blocks Families of Nursing Home Residents from Suing Over COVID Deaths February 2, 2021
A suburban Atlanta nursing home where 22 people died from COVID-19 has been faulted by state inspectors for failing to control infections, but relatives of people who died say they can’t sue because Georgia lawmakers last year blocked lawsuits unless plaintiffs can prove the difficult-to-meet standard of gross negligence.
WXIA-TV reports that multiple state reports faulted infection control at Westbury Nursing Home in Conyers, where at least 85 residents have been infected. That includes an October inspection where Georgia Department of Community Health inspectors found Westbury put residents in immediate jeopardy by keeping COVID-19 positive and negative residents in the same rooms, improperly performing COVID-19 tests, and failing to notify state officials.
CONYERS, Ga. (AP) A suburban Atlanta nursing home where 22 people died from COVID-19 has been faulted by state inspectors for failing to control infections, but relatives of people who died say.
Before the scathing report, 11Alive s investigative team,
The Reveal, uncovered how the state warned the facility at least two different times over the summer that it wasn’t doing enough to prevent infection. According to inspection records, DCH staff cited Westbury for not following infectious disease protocols in June, and then again in August.
Credit: WXIA
Just over a week after Burden arrived at the hospital, she died from COVID-19. The last time she spoke to her daughters was over FaceTime.
“One of the most important things that my mom said to us is that she was thankful that we came and got her,” Burrough said.