A 50-million dollar class action lawsuit has been filed against Roberta Place in Barrie.
The long-term care home has seen a startling rise in COVID-19 cases, as well as 61 deaths in just the last few weeks.
Families of Roberta Place residents say they want to hold it accountable for what they describe as “gross negligence” in failing to keep their residents safe from the virus.
An inspection conducted earlier this month found that the home failed to follow proper protocols to keep residents safe, allowing rooms to be shared by both confirmed positive COVID-19 patients and those who had not yet tested positive for the virus.
Currently, there are 128 active COVID-19 cases among residents in the long-term care home, which has 137 total beds available. There are also 84 active COVID-19 cases among staff members. Sadly, 61 residents and one essential caregiver have died following the outbreak. Families are looking for answers.
“How can this happen at a private care facility nearly one year into a pandemic?” asks Ms. Lambie whose brother pays over $2,700 per month to reside at Roberta Place. “We should expect more from our long-term care homes and we should also hold them accountable for what they’ve done.”
Gayle Brock, from Brock Medical Malpractice Law, one of the lead lawyers in the case advised that “Ms. Lambie started this lawsuit because she entrusted Roberta Place to care for her brother and to protect him. Roberta Place is his home, and it failed him”. Ms. Brock confirmed that the lawsuit has been started and the owners of Roberta Place will have to respond to the lawsuit in the near future.
Any questions regarding the class-action lawsuit should be directed to Gayle Brock at Brock Medical Malpractice Law, 705-739-4022, gtbrock@brockmedmal.com or Robert Durante at Oatley Vigmond, 705-726-9021, rdurante@oatleyvigmond.com.