When nursing homes fail to appropriately prepare for Hurricane Dorian, the results are deadly. Failures of nursing homes and assisted living to be prepared for hurricanes and tropical storms cause grave harm to vulnerable residents. A nursing home must have back up generators to preserve power, in order to keep the air conditioning on and medical equipment working.
If your loved one suffered injury or wrongful death due to nursing home negligence in Hurricane Dorian, our attorneys can help.
Call us today at 561-717-0817 for a free Hurricane Dorian nursing home neglect case consultation.
Hurricane Dorian Nursing Home Claims
As Hurricane Dorian bears down on the east coast of the U.S., skilled nursing facilities and assisted living facilities will lose power. This will inevitably result in stifling, hot conditions in affected nursing homes.
Many states require nursing homes to have back up generators to maintain air conditioning and medical devices. If a nursing home fails to have a back up generator and residents are injured or killed due to power loss, this is likely nursing home negligence.
Air Conditioning Loss in the Nursing Home Due to Hurricane Dorian Power Outages
When Hurricane Dorian hits and the power goes out, back up generators should trigger. This way, the nursing home or assisted living facility can maintain air conditioning for vulnerable patients.
If the generators do not go on, or if the facility lacks a generator, the facility can get dangerously hot. A lack of air conditioning usually impacts the elderly first. When a facility loses air conditioning, this can result in heat stroke deaths, similar to what happened in the infamous Hollywood Hills facility in South Florida. Our attorneys have experience handling cases against Hollywood Hills.
If your family member died due to nursing home air conditioning loss from Hurricane Dorian, call our elder abuse attorneys at 561-717-0817.
Medical Device Failure in the Nursing Home from Hurricane Dorian
Like air conditioning, most medical devices require power. Breathing machines, ventilators, oxygen, suction devices are usually plugged into the wall. This means patients with breathing devices are dependent on the nursing home for power. If the nursing home loses power, it is the legal duty of the facility to have a backup generator to keep those life-saving medical devices powered on.
Without it, this assistive medical technology cannot work and oxygen-dependent residents will suffer wrongful death.
Liability for Lack of Generators in Hurricane Dorian
There is no excuse for a nursing home failing to secure a generator in advance of Hurricane Dorian.
The heatstroke deaths at Hollywood Hills made national headlines in 2017. The head nurse and administrator at Hollywood Hills face manslaughter charges for allowing residents to die after the hurricane knocked out facility power and 14 residents died of heatstroke. Long term care magazines covered this story extensively. Every facility nationwide was put on notice that a lack of nursing home generators is deadly, and unacceptable.
Generators cost about $3,000. With modern technology, it is increasingly easier and cheaper to maintain power during a storm.
If your loved one suffered a wrongful death due to a Hurricane Dorian power outage in a nursing home or assisted living facility, called our skilled nursing home negligence law firm today at 561-717-0817.
Our lawyers are happy to provide a free case consultation and we only get paid if we make a recovery on your case.
