Slipping and falling may seem like an unavoidable accident. However, it’s different if you slip and fall in a hospital due to their negligence or breach of duty. It can be worse if you have a loved one as a facility patient and their fragile health is put in danger due to a slip and fall.
In such cases, the hospital or medical facility can be held liable for any damages that may have occurred due to their negligence. You must work with a slip-and-fall attorney to prove your case and recover compensation for your losses. So, before jumping into the lawsuit, you must understand what it takes to sue a hospital for a slip and fall. Keep reading to learn more!
Common Causes Of Slip & Falls
Hospitals must take reasonable care to prevent slips and fall in their facility. Common causes of these accidents usually occur due to the following:
- Lack of nurses/staff
- Spills of various substances, including food and drink
- Wet or slippery surfaces
- Lack of handrails
- Broken elevators
- Uneven walking surfaces
This can affect staff and patients, and the risk of a slip-and-fall increases significantly when these potential hazards are not addressed.
Injuries Caused By Slip & Falls
Slips and falls can lead to severe injuries, depending on the person’s age, health condition, and severity of the fall. Some of the most common types of injuries include:
- Sprains/Strains
- Fractures
- Lacerations
- Torn ligaments
- Head Trauma
- Internal Injuries
All those injuries can even lead to long-term disabilities, significantly affecting the victim’s life, and sometimes, even death.
Can You Sue a Hospital?
If you slipped and fell in a hospital causing severe injury and needing medical care, the question of whether you have the right to sue the hospital arises. Depending on the circumstances of your accident, the hospital may be held liable for your damages. The court will consider two primary concepts: duty of care & negligence and premises liability.
Under the law, hospitals owe a duty of care to visitors and patients alike. This means that hospital staff must have taken precautions to ensure the safety of those who visit or stay in their facility. These precautions may include properly maintaining floors and walkways and ensuring they’re free of hazards, such as broken glass or spilled liquid. Additionally, all staff should be aware of the potential for accidents and take steps to prevent them.
So, if the hospital breached its duty of care, you may be able to sue for damages. To prove negligence on the part of the hospital, you must show that it failed in its responsibility to take reasonable steps to protect visitors from harm. Additionally, if the accident was caused by a hazardous condition on the premises (such as a broken floor or slippery surface), the hospital may be liable under premises liability law.
Protect Your Integrity By Working With a Trusted Slip and Fall Attorney
The truth is that, as a victim, you want justice. However, suing a health institution can be complicated. Working with a reliable attorney is your key. It can be overwhelming if you can’t find someone who covers your needs and fights for justice.
At The Valente Law Group, we understand your frustration. Nobody should suffer the consequences of a slip and fall in a hospital due to someone else’s negligence.
We’ve helped hundreds of clients to protect their integrity, recover damages, and get justice. So, avoid working with an attorney that won’t look after your best interest. Contact us today for a consultation and learn how we can help you with your case!