Lawsuits Around Fall Injuries at a Hospital

If you or a family member has suffered a serious injury as a result of a fall at a hospital, there may be a potential medical malpractice case. Contact an attorney to evaluate your potential case.

A hospital which doesn't properly monitor or care for their patients and allows a patient to fall under their care can be liable for negligence. It is estimated that 30-50% of falls result in some physical injury and 1-3% result in a fracture. Some potential negligent fall cases include:

• Failure to monitor a patient to prevent falls
• Equipment failure
• Failure to have policies and procedures
• And others

Many different medical professionals are involved in preventing falls including emergency room doctors, nurses, hospital staff, and others.

If you feel that a medical provider was negligent in allowing you to fall and that has caused you harm, you should consult with an attorney about your potential legal options.

It is important to recognize that not every fall in a hospital is a result of medical malpractice. In order for there to be a potential case, there needs to be certain provable facts. This depends on the facts surrounding your medical care including how the fall occurred, what could have been done to prevent it, and the outcome from the fall.

Medical-Legal Considerations About Falls at a Hospital

• Risk Factors for Falls in a Hospital

Falls can occur to any patient, however studies have shown that they are more common amongst the elderly (over 85 years old), male sex, after a recent fall, instability of a patient, when a patient is agitated, adverse drug reactions, and patients with neurological conditions.[1] It is important for hospitals to manage these risk factors in designing and implementing policies and procedures to prevent falls.

• How Hospital Falls Can Be Prevented

Falls can be prevented in numerous ways, but policies and procedures must be in place to do so. One of the procedures can include high risk wristbands and bed signage to notify medical providers about the patient's fall risk. Others include medical providers reviewing medications, assessments of mobility and toileting needs, providing mobility aids, and making sure the room is minimized from clutter and other items that pose hazards.

For more information regarding a potential legal case for hospital falls, call or fill out the form on this website.

Disclaimer: ** Do not take this information as medical advice or knowledge and consult with your doctor regarding your medical care.**

[1] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6297656/

If you feel that a medical professional failed to diagnose a medical condition and that has caused you or your family harm, contact Washington Personal Injury Law today about your potential legal options.