At least 8 lawsuits filed against Kansas care center with 36 virus deaths

photo by: Associated Press

A worker enters Riverbend Post Acute Rehabilitation in Kansas City, Kan., Wednesday, April 22, 2020. (AP Photo/Orlin Wagner)

TOPEKA — At least eight wrongful death lawsuits have been filed against a nursing home in Kansas City, Kansas, where 36 people have died from the new coronavirus.

The lawsuits allege the Riverbend Post-Acute Rehabilitation was negligent in its handling of the coronavirus outbreak and did not provide adequate staff or notify families of the outbreak, KCUR reported.

Health officials say another 136 patients and staff at the home have tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus.

Attorneys representing the nursing home on Tuesday transferred all eight cases from Wyandotte County District Court to federal court in Kansas City, Kansas. The attorneys invoked a federal law that provides immunity from liability for health care providers during public health emergencies.

Rachel Stahle, an attorney representing four of the eight families, said she will seek to have the cases sent back to state court.

Riverbend posted a statement on its website last month defending its care, saying staff took reasonable actions with the resources and information that were available at the time. Riverbend officials have declined to discuss the lawsuits.

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