A New York appellate court has ruled that a nursing home is immune from a wrongful death lawsuit related to COVID-19. The decision affects families seeking justice for loved ones who died during the pandemic. The ruling highlights the legal protections granted to health care facilities under specific circumstances during health emergencies.
The case, Ford v. Montclair Care Center, Inc. (docket number 2025-00490), centers on the death of Madeline Splaine, who allegedly contracted COVID-19 while living at Emerge Nursing & Rehabilitation, a facility owned by Montclair Care Center, Inc. The court's decision, issued on September 16, 2026, reverses a lower court ruling that had previously denied the nursing home’s request to dismiss the case.
The dispute began when Janet Ford, the representative of Splaine's estate, filed a lawsuit claiming that the nursing home failed to protect her mother from COVID-19, leading to her death in April 2020. The defendants argued that they were protected under the Emergency or Disaster Treatment Protection Act (EDTPA), which provided immunity to health care facilities during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The EDTPA aimed to shield health care providers from liability as long as they acted in good faith and followed state directives during the emergency. The nursing home contended that their actions were in line with the law and that they provided necessary health care services during the pandemic.
In their ruling, the court stated, "The Supreme Court should have granted the defendants' motion to dismiss the complaint on the ground that they were immune from liability under the EDTPA." The judges involved in the decision were Angela G. Iannacci, Valerie Brathwaite Nelson, Carl J. Landicino, and Elena Goldberg Velazquez. The court found that the nursing home met the conditions for immunity under the EDTPA, which included providing health care services in good faith during the COVID-19 emergency.
The court noted that the nursing home submitted sufficient evidence, including medical records and COVID-19 protocols, to demonstrate that their actions were compliant with emergency regulations. The court highlighted that the allegations in the complaint did not establish willful misconduct or gross negligence that would negate the immunity provided by the EDTPA.
This ruling is significant as it sets a precedent for similar cases involving health care facilities and COVID-19. It underscores the legal protections available to nursing homes and other health care providers during public health emergencies. Families of patients who contracted COVID-19 in care facilities may find it more challenging to pursue legal action against these providers.
The court's decision may influence how future cases are handled, particularly those related to health care liability during emergencies. The ruling indicates that health care providers acting in accordance with state directives during a crisis may have legal protections against lawsuits, potentially limiting the accountability of facilities in similar situations.
Looking ahead, it is unclear whether the plaintiff will appeal the decision to a higher court. The ruling could also impact other pending cases involving nursing homes and COVID-19-related claims, as it reinforces the legal framework established by the EDTPA. Families seeking justice for their loved ones may need to navigate a more complex legal landscape as a result of this ruling.