The families of more than 100 veterans who died at the New York State Veterans Home in Queens in what they described as “one of the worst COVID outbreaks in the state” are now suing the state-run facility for negligence.
The suit, filed Nov. 4 in federal court, alleges the State Veterans Home did not follow COVID protocols and violated residents’ Fourteenth Amendment rights “to reasonable conditions of care and safety” by failing to “implement basic infection control protocols and provide adequate medical care.” to the residents of the State Veteran House.”
The complaint, which was first reported by the Daily Mail, also claims that the residents’ families were not informed that their relatives had contracted the virus until after they had died.
“This class action is brought because the NYS-VH defendants have clearly failed to act as guardians of the well-being of our nation’s and state’s veterans, by failing to act in a timely manner to protect their veterans/residents from exposure to the deadly COVID-19. outbreak at their facility,” read the lawsuit, reviewed by The Post.
It further alleges that “nursing homes’ actions and inactions, including their delayed response to properly monitor staff, students, companions, aides and visitors to their facilities, fueled one of the worst outbreaks of COVID-19 in all of New York State .”
“It is a shame how the Defendants, who are responsible for taking care of our state and nation’s veterans, dragged their feet and left our heroes exposed to the mercy of a deadly virus.”
More than 100 veterans died at the New York State Veterans Home in St. Albans, Queens during the COVID outbreak. Among those who died was World War II veteran James Hutcherson, whose daughter has now filed a class action lawsuit alleging the facility was negligent and violated residents’ Fourteenth Amendment rights.
The federal lawsuit states that the State Veterans Home was the subject of 87 complaints and was cited for 16 public health and safety code violations between 2019 and 2023.
Before the outbreak, the facility was cited for failing to “establish and implement an infection prevention and control program and not ensuring proper hand hygiene practices were performed during tracheostomy care” and for failing to “assess their residents when there were significant changes in conditions,” according to the lawsuit.
It also cited news from 2020, when some workers at the facility said medical care had been compromised because so many workers called in sick.
One such worker said, “If you can’t take care of the residents who have it, and you don’t have the staff, then you have to let them go.” [elsewhere] and let the state know you can’t do it.”
The federal lawsuit states that the State Veterans Home was the subject of 87 complaints and was cited for 16 public health and safety code violations between 2019 and 2023. PIX11 News
“What [the facility administrator] fear is that if we let these people go, they will shut us down,” the staff told The City.
The outlet reported on May 5, 2020 that bodies were being held in the facility’s poplar unit, and staff there were assigned to float among the remaining units — which may have caused the virus to spread.
It also reported that COVID-positive patients were not removed from rooms they shared with residents believed to be virus-free.
“They left them in the room with the ones who didn’t [positive] because their thinking was, ‘Well, they’re all going to get it,'” one employee said at the time.
Another added, “There’s no effort to try to keep any sort of minimizing transmission or anything.
“Nobody takes it seriously.”
The State Veterans Home is reportedly using its poplar unit to store bodies, and has staff working there floated to other units.Getty Images
Another worker described how nearly 1,000 boxes of personal protective equipment were left outside the St. Albans, causing them to be bitten by rats and snakes.
State Sen. Leroy Comrie, a Democrat from Queens, said at the time he had received complaints from staff at the Veterans Home, indicating that mismanagement had been “rampant.”
“Since all this started, there have been problems with supply, delivery and maintenance as well as the acquisition of appropriate PPE,” he said.
But in a statement to The Post, a Department of Health spokesperson said the facility “continues to receive, manage and use supplies of PPE items in an ongoing effort to combat the outbreak, is prepared for any future developments and complies with state and federal regulations governing PPE supply requirements. .”
The federal lawsuit was filed earlier this month by Louise Loria Hanel, sister of resident Robert A. Loria, and Yvonne Maria Parson, daughter of World War II veteran James Hutcherson.
The Veterans Home is operated by the New York State Department of Health.Mike Segar
Loria died on April 14, 2020 after contracting COVID and died at home.
The lawsuit claims his family “was never notified that he was sick or that he tested positive for COVID-19,” adding that Hanel “only received a phone call to inform him that he had passed away.”
Meanwhile, Hutcherson died of COVID on April 8, 2020 at the age of 93. He also suffered from other illnesses including Parkinson’s disease and dementia.
The lawsuit alleges that after he was diagnosed with the virus, staff failed to take him to a hospital for treatment.
The family is seeking unspecified damages as well as attorney’s fees.
The Post has reached out to the New York State Department of Health and the State Veterans Home for comment.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
