Florida Injury Lawyer Blog

May 31, 2020

CAN YOU SUE A NURSING HOME FOR COVID-19 NEGLIGENCE?

NURSING HOMES AND ASSISTED LIVING CENTERS DURING THE CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC

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The United States is new to the complexities of dealing with a major pandemic like COVID-19. Nevertheless, negligence within nursing homes and assisted living facilities in Florida have always been a major concern for operators, staff, family members, and not to mention residents, who deserve and should be provided with quality care.

As everyone knows, the coronavirus places elderly residents at a high risk of suffering serious life-threatening conditions. Thus, all necessary safety precautions must be taken, and strict preventive measures applied to keep nursing home residents safe. Sadly, COVID-19 spreads very quickly from person to person, and within populated common spaces, contracting the coronavirus in a nursing home is likely when the virus goes undetected. Nursing home operators and staff members can unknowingly spread the virus and residents can fall victim to neglect by either not receiving proper care or medical attention, or simply testing positive for COVID-19 in a nursing home. When a nursing home resident becomes infected with coronavirus as a result of negligence by nursing home staff or nursing home operators, the victim may be able to receive compensation for bodily injury or mental harm and any losses sustained from medical expenses. An experienced Personal Injury lawyer may be able to help determine grounds for a Personal Injury Insurance Claim for compensation for nursing home residents or family members.

May 19, 2020

MIAMI-DADE AND BROWARD RE-OPEN FOR BUSINESS – STAYING SAFE

by The Perazzo Law Firm, P.A.

MIAMI-DADE AND BROWARD RE-OPEN FOR BUSINESS

WHAT TO KNOW AND HOW TO STAY SAFE

As Miami-Dade and Broward County shop and restaurant owners look to get back to business, so too are consumers eager to get back to spending, with everyone else just looking to get back to normal. However, that normal we once innocently took for granted, may sadly be but a treasured memory. Fortunately, adjusting to today’s social and individual reality will not require a crash course on life on another planet, but one can surely say that we are taking on a much futuristic demeanor as we walk down the street, drive in our cars, stroll through a mall, dine at a restaurant, or sit in a bar. Regardless, safety and prevention will be the driving force behind these changes, as COVID-19 sets the stage for the new normal.

May 9, 2020

COVID-19 APP FOR FLORIDA RESIDENTS

by The Perazzo Law Firm, P.A.

Florida Department of Health Launches COVID-19 APP

Governor Ron DeSantis is moving forward with a phased reopening plan throughout Florida. The Florida Department of Health introduced an app (The StrongerThanC19) that allows easy-access to the Community Action Survey, which officials believe can help lower the spread of the COVID-19 in Florida. According to the recently published Community Action Survey Report, many Florida residents don’t respect safety measures aimed at preventing the coronavirus spread among urban populations such as Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and other cities throughout Miami-Dade and Broward; the hardest hit counties by COVID-19.

The StrongerThanC-19 App

May 8, 2020

EL CORONAVIRUS ENTRE LA COMUNIDAD HISPANA

by The Perazzo Law Firm, P.A.

EL CORONAVIRUS ENTRE LA COMUNIDAD HISPANA

COVID-19-Miami-Lawyer-300x300 La Comunidad Hispana ha sido una de las comunidades más castigada por el coronavirus en Miami y todas las ciudades grandes de los Estados Unidos. El numero de infectados supera a la comunidad afroamericana, que lidera en números de casos fatales por contagio del coronavirus. En Miami, la firma de Perazzo Law informa a los residentes hispanos en Miami sobre algunos posibles asuntos legales vinculados con el contagio del coronavirus y como tratarlos.

La negligencia en el tratamiento del coronavirus en un infectado entre la comunidad hispana puede causar daños físicos que pueden llevar a la mortalidad. Aunque el sistema hospitalario puede estar superado y bajo una demanda extrema, pueden existir casos de negligencia por parte de otros individuos o responsables.

May 4, 2020

Masks, Gloves, and Sneeze Shields – The New Normal

by The Perazzo Law Firm, P.A.

THE NEW NORMAL – MASKS, GLOVES, SHIELDS, AND MORE…

OPEN FOR BUSINESS?

COVID-19-Miami-Lawyer-300x300 The massive spread of the coronavirus and the effects on modern life will soon take a futuristic twist as people will look more like space travelers than common Earth folk. With masks, sneeze shields, gloves, and social distancing measures to be strictly enforced, human contact will be limited to those residing in the same household or those sharing the same bed.

April 20, 2020

COVID-19 AND WRONGFUL DEATH

by The Perazzo Law Firm, P.A.

Wrongful Death Resulting from the Coronavirus

The rapid spread of the deadly coronavirus has affected the lives of billions of people from all walks of life, as millions of individuals ranging from business executives to prison inmates have witnessed the infectious wrath of COVID-19. With infectious diseases such as SARS, though genetically related to each other but very different, timely detection and treatment are fundamental to survival and recovery. Sadly, COVID-19 has devastated the most sophisticated healthcare systems in the most highly developed nations around the world. In the USA, the coronavirus has claimed over 42,000 lives and this number is expected to rise considerably as the virus spreads among cities and communities.

The Perazzo Law Firm raises the following questions:

April 20, 2020

LOS MAYORES DE EDAD Y EL CORONAVIRUS

by The Perazzo Law Firm, P.A.

LOS RIESGOS DE LOS ANCIANOS EN HOGARES Y GERIÁTRICOS

GERIATRICOS Y COVID-19

Ante la amenaza del COVID-19, cuidar a los ancianos en hogares geriatricos requiere una atención especial y dedicada para que puedan sobrevivir estos días de la manera más cómoda posible. Lamentablemente, las luchas que enfrentan las personas mayores y los residentes de hogares de ancianos a veces pueden ser una tarea tanto física como mentalmente ardua. Aunque muchos encuentran consuelo y cuidado, otros a veces pueden encontrar situaciones de negligencia e irregularidades intencionales. Hoy en día, la grave amenaza de COVID-19, también conocido como coronavirus, puede conducir a medidas que requieren atención especial adicional para los residentes en hogares de ancianos. En Florida hay unos 700 hogares de ancianos que operan en Florida, y Miami Dade y Broward tienen muchas instalaciones pobladas. En la actualidad, los hospitales y los trabajadores de la salud están siendo llevados al límite en la lucha contra la infección por coronavirus a medida que los funcionarios se apresuran a encontrar formas de tratar en consecuencia con COVID-19. El alcance del alcance de la Florida y los funcionarios estatales es tan vasto que las áreas pueden ser descuidadas; y uno de estos es el cuidado de ancianos en hogares de ancianos. En Miami, se están realizando esfuerzos para brindar alivio a los residentes mayores de hogares de ancianos, muchos de los cuales pueden ser víctimas de negligencia que puede provocar lesiones personales, como úlceras de decúbito en residentes con cama. En los hogares de ancianos, es posible que parte del personal de atención médica personal asignado a los residentes que requieran atención especial no pueda realizar esa tarea, por lo tanto, el residente del hogar de ancianos puede desarrollar úlceras de decúbito en caso de que esté acostado o en una silla de ruedas. Aunque los accidentes automovilísticos, los accidentes de peatones y los accidentes cotidianos pueden detenerse durante la pandemia de coronavirus, la atención médica y la vivienda en centros privados, como enfermería, rehabilitación física o mental, o incluso instituciones correccionales enfrentarán tiempos difíciles a medida que el coronavirus se propague a sus instalaciones (ver Accidentes relacionados con coronavirus).

April 14, 2020

COVID-19 AND NURSING HOMES

by The Perazzo Law Firm, P.A.

THE ELDERLY & COVID-19 NURSING HOME NEGLIGENCE

Taking care of the elderly in nursing homes requires special and dedicated care to enable them to live out their days as comfortably as possible. Sadly, the struggles the senior citizens and nursing home residents face can sometimes be a both physically and mentally arduous task. Though many find comfort and care, others may sometimes encounter situations of negligence and intentional wrongdoing. Today, the severe threat of COVID-19, otherwise known as the coronavirus, can lead to measures requiring extra special attention for the elderly in nursing homes. In Florida there are some 700 nursing homes operating in Florida, with Miami Dade and Broward having many populated facilities. At present, hospitals and healthcare workers are being pushed to the limit fighting the coronavirus infection as officials rush to find ways of dealing accordingly with COVID-19. The extent of the scope of Florida and state officials is so vast that areas may be neglected; and one of these is care for the elderly in nursing homes. In Miami, efforts are on the way to bring relief to elderly residents of nursing homes, many of whom may fall victim to negligence that can lead to personal injuries such as bedsores in bed-stricken residents. In nursing homes, some personal healthcare staff assigned to residents requiring special attention may not be able to perform that task, hence the nursing home resident may develop bedsores in the event he/she is bed-stricken or in a wheelchair. Though car accidents, pedestrian accidents and everyday accidents may come to a stand still during the coronavirus pandemic, private center healthcare and housing, such as nursing, physical or mental rehabilitation, or even correctional institutions will be facing tough times as the coronavirus spreads into their facilities (See Coronavirus Related Accidents).

THE ELDERLY AND COVID-19

April 6, 2020

COVID-19 and CRUISE SHIPS DOCKING IN FLORIDA

by The Perazzo Law Firm, P.A.

THE CORONAVIRUS & CRUISE SHIPS IN FLORIDA

cruise-ship-1360757-640x360-1-300x169 Reports of the coronavirus making its way aboard cruise ships and into harbors around the world have been a part of the COVID-19 pandemic since the outbreak; and ships carrying thousands of passengers continue to reach Florida shores. This past Thursday, two ships belonging to Holland America Cruise Line arrived at Fort Lauderdale in Broward County with dozens of reported cases, while Coral Princess docked in Port Miami with two deceased on board. Situations like this raise questions as to the role of cruise line officials and governmental agencies to protect the well-being of passengers, crews, and residents of the ports where these cruise ships disembark.

The most recent ship to dock was the Coral Princess and the mayor of Miami-Dade, Carlos Gimenez, stated that five passengers were taken to local hospital while 38 crew members and 27 passengers remain on-board to receive medical attention to treat their symptoms. The other 1800 passengers and crew will gradually be able to leave for their homes on Sunday aboard specially provided buses. According to Gimenez, those allowed to disembark the Coral Princess must wear masks and remain isolated for two weeks in their homes. The cruise line has charter flights arranged for those needing to travel to faraway destinations within the U.S., Europe and Asia. Gimenez warned that Port Miami may not be able to house other ships coming into port seeking healthcare as hospital system begins to feel the full effect of the coronavirus pandemic. The Coral Princess had traveled to Barbados from Chile with its passengers unable to touch land since March 13. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta is helping with blood samples of passengers to determine whether they are cleared to leave the ship. Meanwhile, panic-stricken passengers expressed their discontent with the way Princess Cruises treated their passengers and handled the situation. The Coast Guard is said to have intervened in delaying the ship’s docking as it prevented the ship from sailing into U.S. waters.

April 1, 2020

THE CHALLENGES FACING LAW FIRMS DURING THE COVID-19 EPIDEMIC

by The Perazzo Law Firm, P.A.

FLORIDA LAW FIRMS AND THE CORONAVIRUS EFFECT

gavel-1238036-300x201 Law firms across Florida have had to adapt to COVID-19 as a result of closed courtrooms, travel limitations and working from remote locations in order to reduce the health risks brought on by the spread of the coronavirus. With jury trials suspended until the end of April by Florida Chief Justice Charles Canady, and oral arguments until June, trial attorneys will need to rely on E-technologies to carry-out legal proceedings and other activities as recommended by Florida courts. According to Craig Waters, director of the state Supreme Court’s Public Information Office, “Members of the Bar are stepping up to the plate in implementing Chief Justice Charles Canady’s statewide orders about the public health emergency. This is a serious emergency, but Florida’s legal professionals understand its seriousness and are working together to make the system work as well as possible.” The efforts proposed are fundamental for the court system to keep operating effectively while aiming to limit the spread of COVID-19 among the population. The most effective to measure law firms can take to safeguard against being infected by the coronavirus, which can be deadly to the elderly and frail, is to work remotely and remain isolated at home. Meanwhile, online notaries will see more work and the Supreme Court has given notaries the green light when it comes to not having to be physically present, allowing for law firms proceed more swiftly with depositions. Encrypted technologies and communication provide attorneys with the tools to keep client information confidential despite having to work off a desktop or by phone from home. In Miami-Dade, Florida’s 11th Circuit court ordered that judicial deadlines and time limits set by orders, rules and statutes be suspended until the last week of April. Federal courts apply electronic filing systems for documentation and pleadings for the time being while the Florida Supreme Court will continue litigation, which will impact clients and attorneys alike in terms of active litigation cases that involve discovery, document production, depositions, etc. While many Florida law firms are still open, most will have eventually be serving clients from remote locations in order to safeguard the well-being of their staff and help reduce the spread of the coronavirus, which is fundamental for a prompt return to normality.

In Miami, the Perazzo Law Firm is open and serving clients from remote locations, aiming to continue delivering the best possible service and achieve the highest possible levels of client satisfaction. Its entire staff is available and fully dedicated to its clients needs when requesting updates and information concerning their case. Furthermore, the Perazzo Law Firm recommends that Florida residents contact us ONLINE of CALL (786) LAWS-411 for a FREE initial consultation in the event of an accident taking place amid the coronavirus pandemic.