GALLATIN, Tenn. (WTVF) — The attorneys for the Gallatin Center for Rehabilitation and Healing officially rested their case Friday, meaning by Monday morning, closing arguments in the three-week trial should begin.
The final testimony featured expert witnesses, put on by the nursing home, that argued masking and health screenings can only do so much during a pandemic.
"If universal masking was in place prior to this outbreak having occurred, I would expect that on average, about 40% fewer staff or residents may have become infected, but just marginally less. Not prevented," testified Dr. Scott Fridkin, an infectious disease expert from Emory University.
Of course, attorneys for the family of Ruth Summers disagree. They're suing the Gallatin Center after the 89 year old contracted COVID and later died back during the early days of the pandemic. Dr. Fridkin testified COVID entering the facility was likely inevitable.
"Even if the screening was done perfectly, that virus would have been imported into the nursing home. And transmission would have occurred," said Fridkin.
"Was it inevitable?" asked Howard Hayden, an attorney for the nursing home.
"I do think it was inevitable at that time early in the pandemic. Almost no nursing homes were spared," he said.
Ultimately, this case will come down to this central question: Did the nursing home fail to properly protect Summers from COVID-19 or was the virus an inevitability?
Closing arguments and jury instructions will take place on Monday, and then 12 men and women of the jury will deliberate and make their final determination.
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at Chris.Davis@NewsChannel5.com.
Fostering Hope provides Christmas for kids in foster care. I'm delighted to see Fostering Hope expand this year to expand their reach to now include kids in Foster care in metro AND foster kids in East TN hard hit by Helene.
-Bree Smith
