Massachusetts to pay $56 mln over deadly COVID outbreak at veterans’ home

BOSTON, Could 12 (Reuters) – The state of Massachusetts on Thursday agreed to pay $56 million to resolve a lawsuit by households of veterans who contracted COVID-19 throughout an outbreak at a veterans’ care heart that killed 84 folks early within the pandemic.

The proposed settlement would resolve a pending federal class motion lawsuit by households of veterans who died because of the 2020 outbreak at Holyoke Troopers’ Residence, one of many deadliest to have occurred at a U.S. nursing facility.

Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker’s administration mentioned that beneath the settlement, households of deceased veterans would obtain a minimal of $400,000, whereas veterans who contracted COVID-19 however survived would obtain at the very least $10,000.

“Whereas we all know nothing can convey again those that had been misplaced, we hope that this settlement brings a way of closure to the family members of the veterans,” Baker mentioned in a press release.

The settlement requires courtroom approval and covers greater than 160 veterans who grew to become unwell or died from March 1 to June 23, 2020.

Baker, a Republican, has confronted criticism over his dealing with of the outbreak at Holyoke Troopers’ Residence, a 247-bed, state-run facility in Holyoke that gives healthcare, nursing and different providers to veterans.

The lethal outbreak resulted within the removing of Bennett Walsh, the previous superintendent of the ability, and prompted a collection of investigations into management failures and different issues on the facility. learn extra

Walsh and former Medical Director David Clinton had been charged with prison neglect in September 2020 over their dealing with of the outbreak, however a decide in November 2021 dismissed the fees towards them. The state’s lawyer basic is interesting.

The settlement is comparable in dimension to an analogous one in New Jersey, which in December agreed to pay $53 million to revolve claims by households of over 100 veterans who died from COVID-19 whereas at state-run amenities.

Reporting by Nate Raymond in Boston
Enhancing by Invoice Berkrot

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