Your Rights If You Contracted Coronavirus From Someone Who Knew They Were Positive and Failed to Warn You

The current pandemic has ushered in many changes in the fields of medicine, healthcare, education, politics, economics, and law.  With few legal precedents to rely on, it can be difficult to understand exactly what rights you’re entitled to if your health is compromised due to someone else’s negligence. 

Unfortunately we’re seeing this negligence happen across the nation in schools, beauty salons, retailers, and offices.  Here’s some important information about Pennsylvania law that you should know if you’ve contracted coronavirus from someone who didn’t tell you they were COVID-19 positive.

Definitions

Legal jargon is one of the many reasons why you want to consult a personal injury lawyer serving Philadelphia.  It can be confusing or counterintuitive when compared to vernacular speech.  These are a few key words you will want to understand in a legal context-

• Liability case- also known as ‘negligence’, the victim of personal injury must prove four things in order to have a substantial case
  • Duty, which can be either expectation to do something or not to do something
  • Identify a standard of care and how it was breached
  • Causation
  • Damages resulting from negligence
    • Examples of liability include employers placing their employees in spaces known to increase risk of exposure and vendors working in close proximity of someone who has contracted the virus 

• Causation – the causal relationship between the defendant’s actions, behavior, or lack thereof and the end result

What’s Required From You

Such a case is going to be very difficult to establish.  Even if you can show that you came into contact with someone who is COVID-19 positive and refrained from sharing that with you, there must be proof that they are in fact the source of your contracting it.

If you have come into contact with many other people or frequented public places that are known to be ‘hot spots’ for catching it, this may be used against you.

Where We Can Help

Proof of contracting from negligence may be hard to prove, but proof of violating a quarantine or isolation statute is easier to come by.  While posing a threat to the general public as a whole is no basis for a personal injury lawsuit, your lawyer can help you prove that the defendant violated local laws which resulted in your contracting coronavirus.  
Contact Katz Injury Law right away if you’re experiencing personal harm as a result of someone else’s negligence.  Whether it’s a car accident lawyer serving Philadelphia you need, or more information on local statutes for preventing the spread of COVID-19, we’re here to help you seek the justice you deserve.