Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has strongly condemned Atria Willow Wood’s coronavirus prevention response, claiming the facility’s inaction caused the wrongful death of residents. The Florida Governor has even gone so far as to say the Broward County assisted living facility’s reaction to COVID-19 may be considered ‘criminal’.
Our Florida nursing home abuse lawyers detail the basis for the Governor’s criticism, as well as the foundation for a potential coronavirus lawsuit against Atria Willow Wood.
How Atria Willow Wood Failed to Appropriately Follow Coronavirus Precautions
From the beginning of this outbreak, it has been apparent that this virus unfairly impacts senior citizens. In particular, nursing home and assisted living facility residents are most effected by the spread of COVID-19.
Regulations are in place to stop the spread of coronavirus in long term care facilities. These rules require careful screening of anyone entering the facility. Visitors and staff are supposed to be checked for a fever, cough and other corona-like symptoms. Sick people should not be allowed in to infect elderly facility residents.
Despite this, Governor DeSantis outlined multiple critiques of the Atria Willow Wood assisted living facility, including:
- failing to screen staff for coronavirus;
- failing to screen cooks in the kitchen for coronavirus; and,
- allowing construction workers into the ALF that possibly had the infectious disease.
Governor DeSantis opined that the facility breached its duty to residents, and legally caused their deaths.
“Construction workers, staff and cooks who were not screened were allowed to go and mix with the residents unimpeded,’’ DeSantis said during a press conference. “That is exactly what you are not supposed to do. . . It … clearly fell below the standard of care and whether it went into criminal … I think that that’s a possibility . . . That was clearly non-compliant, negligent and it did cost those residents their lives.”
The Effect of Atria Willow Wood’s Alleged Failures
So far, at least three coronavirus deaths have arisen out of Atria Willow Wood. Further, ten COVID-19 cases have been reported out of Atria. Five tests remain pending.
Many other residents are unable to be tested, so the exact number of COVID-19 cases at Atria Willow Wood is unknown.
A subsequent agency investigation determined that these COVID-19 deaths were ‘avoidable’, and that workers at Atria Willow Wood were ‘coughing up a storm.’ Allegedly, Atria allowed in workers that were visibly ill and these sick workers interacted with vulnerable residents.
The COVID-19 Aftermath at Atria Willow Wood
Due to the vast shortage of coronavirus test kits, the majority of the residents at Atria Willow Wood cannot be tested for the disease. This has many family members on edge. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention officials embedded at Atria Willow Wood following the incident to observe other residents.
Coronavirus Wrongful Death Lawsuit Versus Atria Willow Wood
If your loved one was a resident at Atria Willow Wood and contracted COVID-19, contact the nursing home abuse attorneys at Senior Justice Law Firm.
Suing negligent nursing homes and ALF’s is our firm focus. We are based here in South Florida and can help your family pick up the pieces following a preventable tragedy at a Florida long term care facility. Let our compassionate and experienced nursing home neglect attorneys help you on your path to justice.
Call us now to learn more about your legal rights: 754-312-7202.
