On February 9, 2021, The Seattle Times reported how a nursing assistant in her sixties died after catching COVID-19 at Marysville Care Center, a nursing home known for its history of being short-staffed. Just last month, around the same time as a virus outbreak killed 18 residents, a 339-page inspection report was released by the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) and showed just how poor the facility conditions are. The facility was fined $18,000 by the state of Washington, with the possibility of federal fines, and has two months to reach compliance.
While we are grateful that state inspections have been able to start reviewing neglect and abuse allegations again – which had been put on pause early on in the pandemic to focus on infection-control issues – it is not enough to get families whose loved ones have died the justice they deserve, especially as some nursing home facilities may get overlooked.
Our firm has fought for and won nursing home abuse and neglect cases for many Washington residents. If you feel your loved one is being mistreated or neglected in their long-term care facility, do not hesitate to call one of our attorneys immediately.