Did You Slip or Fall in a Washington Hospital?
Posted Friday, December 3, 2021 by Chris Thayer
Most of us go to hospitals when we want to get better, so it can be especially frustrating for someone when they return with more injuries than they had previously. Unfortunately, that is the case all too often. Hospitals are fast-paced environments full of hazards and risks. One of the largest risks that people face at hospitals is slip-and-fall accidents. With patients, debris, countless sources of fluids and spills, and constant chaos, it is easy for circumstances at hospitals to get out of control and pose real risks to guests and patients alike. Although many people often dismiss slips and falls, they can have serious consequences and even be fatal. If you suffered a slip or fall accident at a hospital and sustained injuries and financial damage as a result, you may have legal avenues available to you. In this post, we will explore the bases from bringing a personal injury claim for a slip-and-fall accident and when the hospital may be liable. Of course, the best way to ensure that you are receiving information that is pertinent to your specific case is to speak directly to an experienced personal injury lawyer. Feel free to contact Pivotal Law Group if you would like to schedule a consultation and receive personalized feedback.
*When to Sue for a Hospital Slip-and-Fall Accident * First off, it is important to understand that simply slipping and falling in a hospital is not, in and of itself, sufficient to bring a lawsuit, even if you were hurt as a result. Accidents happen all the time and people can trip over their own feet just about anywhere. In order for the hospital to be liable for your harm, you will have to be able to demonstrate that the hospital or their agents or employees (staff, doctors, nurses, etc.) acted negligently in some way.
Establishing negligence requires showing that they breached the expected duty of care. This can happen in a number of ways. For instance, if a patient was being treated by a doctor when they fell, the inquiry will be whether the doctor was negligent in any way in allowing this to happen. This will be determined by considering whether another similarly situated doctor would have made the same choice. If a similar doctor would have acted differently, this is evidence that the original doctor’s care likely failed to meet the standard of expected care and could constitute negligence. This may be the case if a doctor or nurse failed to adequately assist a patient while transferring them to another bed, into a wheelchair, or during an examination. In these cases, their negligence would be considered medical malpractice. However, you do not have to be a patient at a hospital in order to suffer an accident due to their negligence. If hospital staff knew or should have known about a hazard and failed to remedy it or warn of it, they can be held liable for any harm that results.
*Talk to Pivotal Law Group * If you have suffered injuries and financial harm as a result of a slip-and-fall accident or medical malpractice in Seattle, Bellevue, Kent, Renton, Burien, Mercer Island, Issaquah, or the greater Washington State area, the experienced personal injury attorneys at Pivotal Law Group are ready to help. Contact us today to schedule a personalized consultation.