Hospital Falls
December 2023
A fall in a hospital can lead to liability issues for the institution. When under a hospital's care, the hospital is expected to take reasonable measures to ensure patient safety. If a patient falls and is injured and it is discovered the the hospital was negligent or failed to take reasonable measures to prevent the fall a legal claim could be made by the injured party. In order to prevent hospital falls, the hospital should peform a fall risk assessment of all patients that are admitted into the hospital and properly train their staff. Even with fall risks performed there is a growing body of data questioning whether they are effective. Patient rooms should also be adequately lit in improve visibility and reduce the risk of falls.
Hospital falls are a serious safety issue. Inpatient falls result in physical and financial burdens to the patient. A report stated that in the United States in a given year there approximately 250,000 injuries and 11,000 deaths due to hospital falls.
If you or a loved one have been injured due to a hospital fall, take the time to seek out experienced legal counsel. At Herrick & Hart, we have been on the side of the injured since 1951. We offer a free consultation on personal injury cases.