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The families of the victims outside the Alcoi courthouse on the day the trial began. Miriam Gil Albert
Families of COVID Victims in Alcoi Nursing Home Gather to Decide on Appealing the Verdict

Families of COVID Victims in Alcoi Nursing Home Gather to Decide on Appealing the Verdict

The 46 plaintiffs will meet this week with their lawyers to decide whether to continue a process that, in its initial ruling, absolved the nursing home's management of responsibility.

Pau Sellés

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Miércoles, 29 de enero 2025, 07:26

Less than a week has passed since the verdict on the death of 74 elderly residents in an Alcoi nursing home during the pandemic was announced, and the families are still processing the shock of the judicial decision. "It has been a significant blow and a surprise. We did not expect this verdict," explained the families' spokesperson, José Luis Pla, after learning that the claim for compensation of 2.2 million euros against the company managing the centre was dismissed.

Following the verdict, the plaintiffs have a 20-working-day period to decide whether to appeal the decision. The first step towards making this decision will take place this week when the 46 families involved in the lawsuit will meet to decide on their next steps. The decision will be influenced by the legal team's advice, which is based in Madrid and has structured the lawsuit.

In this initial meeting following the judicial "blow," the affected parties will have the opportunity to thoroughly review and analyse the 257-page verdict. "We need to understand the technical basis of the verdict that our lawyers can provide. Without it, we cannot make a decision," explains José Luis.

"We are the first interested in resolving this issue, but we cannot do it individually. It is a collective matter, so we need to take our time," states the spokesperson for Afadomusvi, the association formed by the families to denounce the situation in the Alcoi nursing home.

Judicial Journey

Despite the number of deaths attributed to COVID in this centre reaching 74, the lawsuit was only filed by representatives of 15 of the total victims. The pain of reliving the tragedy and the financial costs associated with the legal process led many families to refrain from participating.

The timelines were longer than desired for the rest. The trial began on September 30 of last year, seven months after its initial date, following delays caused by the company's failure to submit documentation on time. Before that, four years had already passed since the tragedy occurred.

In its ruling, the judge concluded that it was not proven that the defendant company acted negligently regarding the virus's entry into the nursing home, its spread, or the care provided to the residents.

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todoalicante Families of COVID Victims in Alcoi Nursing Home Gather to Decide on Appealing the Verdict