When you or a loved one spends time in the hospital because of an accident, a surgical procedure or a major illness, you look forward to improvements each day. After all, the hospital is the place you go to get well. You should expect that the hospital and its staff will take every precaution to make sure you do not suffer further injury such as a fall injury.
Unfortunately, hospital falls continue to be one of the most common forms of hospital negligence even though they should never happen.
If you or a loved one suffered an injury because of a fall event in a hospital, the lawyers at the Law Office of James H. Guest, want to hear about it and help you seek full and fair compensation.
Falls Are A ‘Never Event’
Falls are one of the seven “never events,” which are egregious medical mistakes that should never occur if hospital staff are being attentive, are properly trained and are providing a quality standard of care.
Never events fall into categories that include:
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Inadequate patient protection — such as the failure to provide slip-resistant footwear to patients who are mobile
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Poor care management — such as a patient suffering devastating injuries or wrongful death because of a medication error
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Surgical events — such as sending the wrong patient to surgery
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Medical device incidents — such as the use of defective or contaminated medical devices
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Criminal action — such as the theft of patient medication
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Radiologic events — such as putting a patient with metal medical devices go through an MRI
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Environmental negligence — such as failing to identify patient distress and providing oxygen in a timely manner
It may seem that a fall is less serious than a defective medical device, for example, but the reality is that there are procedures in place that should prevent all hospital falls. When they happen, hospitals and their staff need to be held accountable.
We have focused our legal careers — more than three decades — on helping injured people. You can trust your case to a law firm that cares about you and your recovery.
Is It Medical Malpractice Or Hospital Negligence?
We will evaluate your case to determine whether you have a medical malpractice claim or a hospital negligence claim. Here are the differences:
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Medical malpractice: Medical malpractice cases generally involve medical professionals who provide a substandard level of care that leads to a fall and injury. These professionals have been trained to take measures to prevent falls. When they fail to act according to the standards of care set by their profession, they can be held accountable through a medical malpractice claim.
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Hospital negligence: Falls that occur because of a hospital’s or staff’s inattentiveness or negligence may be considered negligence rather than malpractice. Examples include failure to offer assistance to a patient, failure to provide the proper footwear, failure to put fall-precaution procedures in place or follow those procedures and failure to train hospital staff on fall prevention protocols.
Seeking Compensation When Falls Occur
Falls in a hospital could lead to serious injuries, including:
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Bruises, cuts and lacerations
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Sprains, fractures or broken bones
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Coma
The consequences are devastating for those who survive a fall and for family members who lose a loved one following a fall. Falling in a hospital can lead to fear and stress, making recovery even more difficult for you or your loved one. An extended hospital stay, along with follow-up care and therapy, is an additional expense that could have been prevented by attentive staff members and precautionary procedures.
We will seek full and fair compensation to cover all your financial needs. Let us handle your legal matters while you focus on attending to yourself and your family.
Get The Help You Need And Deserve
The Law Office of James H. Guest, L.L.C., can help you recover compensation for injuries caused by falling during a hospital stay. You have enough on your mind trying to heal and get your life back after such a distressing event. Let our compassionate attorney handle the legal details.
We are dedicated to assisting families in Denver, Colorado, and throughout the state with getting the compensation they deserve. To schedule a free consultation, contact us online or call our office to speak with our lawyer.
We work on a contingency basis, meaning if we don’t recover compensation, you don’t owe us a thing.