The family of a nursing home resident who died of COVID-19 is suing the owners of the home. The wrongful death lawsuit, which was filed in Los Angeles Superior Court today, claims administrators of GlenHaven Healthcare in Glendale prohibited staff from wearing masks and gloves.
The family of Ricardo Saldana also alleges that administrators knew an employee had been exposed to the coronavirus but still allowed them to work for two weeks, exposing other staff and residents.
Saldana was 77 when he died from COVID-19 in April.
“They put a patient with COVID in my dad’s room when my dad was alone all the time," Saldana's daughter Jackie, one of the plaintiffs, said on a call announcing the suit. "They killed my dad. They could have prevented this and many others died and many others got sick.”
According to county health data, 53 workers and residents have been infected at GlenHaven and five have died of COVID-19.
The federal government has provided legal protections for some health care professionals during the pandemic, but not for nursing homes — yet. Industry groups have been pressuring Governor Gavin Newsom to grant some legal immunity to nursing homes related to the pandemic. Consumer advocates strongly oppose the idea.
READ OUR IN-DEPTH LOOK AT AN OUTBREAK IN ONE LA NURSING HOME
Our news is free on LAist. To make sure you get our coverage: Sign up for our daily newsletters. To support our non-profit public service journalism: Donate Now.
