coronavirus

COVID Collisions a Consequence of Quarantine

October 19, 2020 | Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner

More than six months into the coronavirus pandemic, the impact of COVID-19 on road safety is still being studied. Certainly there was a marked drop in traffic collisions through the spring and early summer, as lockdown orders shuttered bars, restaurants and all but essential businesses and most of Southwest Florida sheltered in place.

But with Gov. Ron DeSantis lifting remaining restrictions at the start of October, and the height of tourism season right around the corner, there is growing evidence that the roads of Lee, Collier and Charlotte counties are once again getting more dangerous.

And perhaps in new ways.

Few Visitors Increase Risk of Nursing Home Neglect

August 25, 2020 | Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner

Since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, our nursing home neglect and abuse attorneys have sounded the alarm about the failures in the system that have left powerless our most vulnerable citizens and their families. In April, we wrote about nursing home coronavirus liability, and in June we outlined failures of the industry to comply with safety regulations put in place after residents died in the wake of 2017’s Hurricane Irma.

Unfortunately, because of the threat posed by COVID-19, we enter the height of the hurricane season this year with the vast majority of nursing home residents isolated from friends, family and loved ones.

The threats posed by COVID are real, of course, particularly for this elderly, vulnerable population. The Wall Street Journal reported nearly half of Florida’s 7,000 virus deaths have occurred in long-term care facilities. About one in five residents in Florida is a senior citizen—the highest proportion in the U.S.

Child Injury Risks in Southwest Florida

August 19, 2020 | Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner

We all have increased concerns when it comes to child safety and the start of the school year. But this year is unlike any other in modern history, with the coronavirus pandemic causing much stress and uncertainty in all of our lives.

Collier, Lee and Charlotte counties all expect to begin in-person classes on Monday Aug. 31. Most families will also have the option of enrolling their child in some form of virtual learning; in Lee County, that means Lee Connect or Lee Virtual School.

But, while the pandemic brings its own unique risks, the fact remains the most common causes of serious and fatal child injuries have not changed.

Florida Nursing Homes Have Coronavirus Liability

April 22, 2020 | Associates and Bruce L. Scheiner

Evidence is increasingly clear that Florida’s nursing home industry has failed to protect residents from the devastating consequences of facility-wide coronavirus outbreaks, even in the weeks since those risks became the world’s dominant news story.

The risks have been clear from the outset– the first outbreak in the United States occurred at a five-star care facility outside Seattle, Washington.

By mid-April, at least 14 Lee County nursing homes or care facilities had tested positive for the coronavirus, according to a list Gov. Ron DeSantis finally released under pressure from the media and the threat of lawsuits from elder-care advocates.