Powers Taylor is investigating reports that  six patients have died and more than 100 have been evacuated to local hospitals from one Florida nursing home in the wake of Hurricane Irma, which hit the state last week. Rehabilitation Center at Hollywood Hills in Hollywood, Florida lost power during the hurricane and as a result, the air conditioning at the facility was off for several hours.

The staff at the nursing home noticed patients in distress early Wednesday morning; three died at the nursing home, one passed en route to a hospital, and two more died once they were at the hospital. It was reported by visitors on Tuesday afternoon that the facility was sweltering inside, but no help came. Florida Gov. Rick Scott released a statement Wednesday detailing that the facility had access to fans and spot coolers while the air conditioning was out. Ultimately, that ended up not being enough to keep the patients safe.

“This is a travesty that should have never happened. It is the job of these facilities to keep all of their residents safe, especially in a time of crisis. We are closely following the investigation and will do anything in our power to get justice for those who have been effected by this incident,” says partner Patrick Powers, who runs Powers Taylor’s nursing home abuse & neglect docket.

State and local officials in Florida have stepped in and are investigating the deaths and whether any standard of care was breached by the facility during the lapse in air conditioning. As a precaution, police officers have been sent out to check on the other 42 assisted living facilities in the town.

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The elderly and disabled are especially susceptible to changes in their environment like air temperature and quality. We believe that this tragedy could have been avoided with proper care and monitoring of patients. If you or a loved one was affected by this event or a similar one following a natural disaster, contact us today for a free consultation. The attorneys at Powers Taylor are here to fight for you.