Slip and fall accidents in hospitals are more common than you think and may frequently result in serious disabilities. Slip, trip and fall (STF) incidents can happen with hospital patients or employees. Serious injuries can impact an employee’s ability to work, often resulting in lost days at work, inability to care for patients, expensive worker compensation claims, and emotional suffering. Most of these accidents are preventable and generally result from unsafe hospital environments and several other factors.

So, what do you do if you tripped and fell in a hospital and were injured? Legal action is necessary if you are seriously injured in such an accident. Consult experienced advocates such as the slip and fall attorneys in Fresno, CA at the May Firm, to determine the best course of action for your case. Each case is different, and the circumstances of the case dictate the legal process. This post gives you a detailed explanation of what happens in such situations.

Slip and fall accident in the hospital

Every day, hospitals witness a massive footfall and are crowded with staff, visitors and patients. Regular programs are conducted to ensure quality and consistency in the housekeeping process. Cleaning is carried out regularly to ensure the facilities are sterile and pathogens-free. While the goal of a hospital is to ensure optimal safety and hygiene standards, they often fail to achieve so.

Hospitals are obliged and even required by law to maintain a clean and safe environment. However, slip and fall accidents can still happen due to multiple reasons.

On the other hand, slip and fall accidents can happen to anyone. They may be occur to one of the following reasons:

• Poor drainage
• Dim hospital rooms and corridors
• Irregularities in walking surface (indoor & outdoor)
• Old or poorly placed floor mats
• People entering and exiting hospitals can be injured by gaps, potholes, cracks, or uneven sidewalks or walkways. This can be riskier if they are physically disabled people using canes or wheelchairs.
• Electrical pipes and wires exposed on the floor
• Handrails and stairs not properly maintained.

Legal consequences of slips and falls in hospital

Slips and falls often lead to lower extremities that are injuries in the hip, knees and ankles. Back and neck injuries are also common and require extensive rehabilitation. In addition to care, the injured worker or patient is also entitled to liability insurance or medical malpractice claims.

However, it is important to note that whether you are filing a medical or civil liability claim, you will need to create a slip-and-fall event log before seeking legal assistance. The log is a detailed description of the events that happened and accurately summarizes the details of the incident. 

Medical Malpractice

In this case, the court can call it a malpractice if the patient involved in the accident was being treated at the time of the accident. In addition, it is important to prove that the medical professionals or medical facilities were responsible for medication that may have contributed to the collapse.

For example, “Polypharmacy” can have several side effects on a patient’s health. Polypharmacy can be defined as giving too many drugs to a patient simultaneously. If the side effects result in a patient staggering and fall as a side effect, the hospital will be considered liable for the injuries.

Liability For Premises

Premises liability means that the hospital where the slip and fall accident happened is directly responsible for your injuries. Even if you are a family of a hospitalized patient and fell while visiting, you may be able to file a premises liability claim for the injuries you sustained.

When pursuing a premises liability claim, you must prove that the medical institution’s negligence caused your injuries. For example, suppose you slipped and fell because of the poor railing or lack thereof.

Conclusion

Before you join a healthcare facility, it is critical to review its historical injury records for slip and fall accidents. However, suppose you are an employee injured in a slip and fall accident due to the negligence of the hospital management. In that case, you must speak with an experienced slip and fall attorney as soon as possible.