The worldwide pandemic has changed the lives of nearly everyone. Hundreds of thousands of people have been sickened by this devastating virus and thousands killed.
Medical Guidelines and Government Regulation
The contagious nature of this disease made it seem almost inevitable that many people would come in contact with it, become deathly ill, or to die. Recommendations have been made by medical personnel and directives have issued at different levels of government regarding ways to protect ourselves.
Information about the coronavirus and how to protect oneself has been a changing dialog from the beginning of the pandemic. Despite this, there has been an adequate amount of basic instruction for most people to follow to reasonably protect themselves and others.
These include:
- Quarantine
- Stay at Home Requirements
- Social Distancing
- Personal Protective Equipment
Impact on Businesses and Services
Schools, nonessential government services, and many businesses came to a complete halt in an effort to stop the spread of the virus. Over time, all bars, restaurants, and other venues where crowds gather were shut down.
Many businesses struggled to stay open at the beginning of the crisis. Employees feared losing their jobs and thousands did. Employers were faced with increasing expectations to keep their employees and their customers safe.
Some businesses that were able to stay open were slow to make changes to their operation and a few did not initially comply with requirements. The financial costs of complying or closing were huge.
Non-Compliance with Directives
Some employers might have made decisions that put their employees or their customers at increased risk of infection.
This could include:
- Failing to enforce social distancing
- Failing to provide employees with adequate protective clothing
- Failing to provide employees with proper cleaning materials or
- Failing to instruct employees in the proper use of protective gear or cleaning materials
Liability for Losses Due to Virus
Can a business be held liable for requiring their employees to work and not providing the personal protective equipment (PPE)?
Most people acquired COVID-19 from unforeseen sources. There are and will be legal challenges regarding many decisions that were made during the crisis. There may be circumstances where exposure to the virus was known and avoidable. Litigation will be initiated to establish liability in some cases.
Legal Help is Available
If you lost a loved one from COVID-19 who was exposed to the virus, we are very sorry for your loss. Please contact our experienced law firm if you have any concerns about the circumstances. We are committed to help our clients.
