COVID-19 Nursing Home Deaths in Nevada
Our Las Vegas Nursing Home Lawyers Are Here to Help
As of May 21, 2020, state-regulated facilities had reported 1,021 COVID-19 cases and 93 virus-related deaths across Nevada. One-fourth of these 93 deaths occurred at a Las Vegas nursing home called The Heights of Summerlin, and an additional 7 were linked to an alleged lack of isolation at Horizon Health and Rehabilitation Center in Las Vegas.
Nursing homes around the country have a “persistent” pattern of infection control problems, which has existed since before the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Over the past 2 years, the U.S. Government Accountability Office found 40% of nursing homes were cited for problems with infection control and prevention.
When the health and safety of one of our most vulnerable populations are on the line, these oversights are unacceptable. Several nursing homes in Las Vegas are already under investigation.
If your loved one was diagnosed with COVID-19 or succumbed to the disease at a nursing home, the Law Offices of Steven M. Burris may be able to help.
Call us at (702) 529-3101 to get started today.
Nevada Nursing Homes in Question
The Las Vegas Valley and the Reno area host the facilities with the highest numbers of coronavirus cases. As of May 12, 2020, the numbers were as follows:
- 123 confirmed cases at The Heights of Summerlin in Clark County
- 84 confirmed cases at Lakeside Health & Wellness in Washoe County
- 80 confirmed cases at Silver Hills in Clark County
- 75 confirmed cases at Horizon Health and Rehabilitation in Clark County
- 69 confirmed cases at Willow Springs in Washoe County
- 60 confirmed cases at Premier Health and Rehab in Clark County
- 38 confirmed cases at El Jen Healthcare and Rehabilitation in Clark County
- 34 confirmed cases at Life Care Center of South Las Vegas in Clark County
- 25 confirmed cases at College Park Rehabilitation Center in Clark County
Although all these facilities have been hit hard by the coronavirus, only a few of them are under investigation.
The Heights of Summerlin
As the leader of disease-related deaths in Nevada, The Heights of Summerlin spiked to 133 confirmed cases on May 21, 2020, and has over 24 documented resident deaths as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak. The Nevada Department of Public and Behavioral Health is currently investigating the skilled nursing facility, so details are limited.
Horizon Health and Rehabilitation Center
In the case of Horizon Health and Rehabilitation Center, however, a 29-page report from the Nevada Department of Health and Human Services documents egregious infection-control deficiencies that placed the home’s residents in “’immediate jeopardy’ of serious injury, harm, or death from the pandemic.”
According to the report and the Las Vegas Review-Journal, the nursing home’s problems began with the death of a resident on April 5, 2020. At this time, 2 of Horizon Health’s residents had already been hospitalized and tested positive for the coronavirus, but the resident’s telltale symptoms were widely ignored. The patient was not isolated from their roommate, who later tested positive, as well.
This horror story seems to reflect a pattern at the 138-bed facility, which has seen one of the worst outbreaks in Nevada. The nursing home allegedly failed to follow federal guidelines and had no quarantine wing with designated staffers for those diagnosed with COVID-19. Additionally, residents who had been exposed were moved into rooms with people who had not.
Horizon leadership cited confusion surrounding federal guidelines, but there is simply no excuse for the facility’s behavior. State investigators found 5 cases in which a roommate who tested positive for COVID-19 was not moved or quarantined, 1 case of a resident with COVID-19 symptoms “wheeling around the nursing home,” and many cases of staffers without personal protective equipment (PPE).
While the state has taken corrective action, this does not help the 7 residents who have already died from COVID-19 at Horizon Health nor the 38 who have been infected.
If your loved one has been infected or killed by any of the nursing homes on this page, please contact our Las Vegas nursing home death attorneysimmediately.
How We Can Help
At the Law Offices of Steven M. Burris, we understand what you are going through, and we are deeply sorry for the losses you have experienced. Although this situation is largely unprecedented, we have over 40 years of experience handling nursing home errors and we do not let facilities like The Heights of Summerlin or Horizon Health get away with this kind of behavior.
Our firm can conduct a private investigation of your loved one’s nursing home and find out what exactly went wrong. We can also pursue justice on your loved one’s behalf and help you hold the facility accountable for their diagnosis and/or death.
If you have any questions or you are ready to get started, please call us at (702) 529-3101 and tell us what happened. You can also send us a message onlineto request your free consultation.
Once again, we extend our condolences, and we hope we can get through this difficult time together.