When you are admitted into the hospital, chances are you have a lot on your mind already. You can be scared about your prognosis, worried about the expenses of your care and concerned about your loved ones and how they are handling the situation.
The last thing you are probably thinking about is whether you are going to suffer additional injuries in the hospital. After all, between the nursing staff, doctors and administrative workers, there should be plenty of people to keep you safe, right? However, this isn’t always the case, and a patient can be seriously injured in a fall, which can be grounds for a legal claim.
Falls in hospitals pose a serious threat to patients, despite being almost completely preventable. In fact, patients suffering injury or death in a fall in a health care setting is one of several “never events” that are so shocking they should never occur.
Sadly, patients do fall in hospitals, and these falls can have serious consequences for people with compromised immune systems or existing conditions that already cause pain and discomfort.
For instance, in a recent case, a woman says she actually fell off the operating table during a surgical operation. She was apparently opened up and surgical tools were inside her when the doctors and nurses allowed her to fall off the table. She says she suffered a concussion, bruises on her left side, injuries to her jaw and had double vision once she awoke from the surgery.
The woman has filed a legal claim seeking damages, including punitive damages. However, as is the case with most medical malpractice and negligence claims, there are legal obstacles to overcome including arguments over what type of lawsuit should be filed in the first place.
While that case has yet to be resolved, it is an important reminder for patients here in Kentucky that claims of substandard medical care can be highly technical and complicated, even when the wrongdoing seems obvious. Considering all the legal challenges that can arise, as well as the financial stakes involved, working with an experienced medical malpractice attorney to pursue a claim can be vital.