Ohio Attorneys Handling Cases Involving Hospital Falls
Most falls in hospitals, like hospital-caused infections, are preventable. This means that patients who are injured as a result of falls may be eligible to file lawsuits if they can prove that the fall was the result of negligence by nurses, nursing assistants and others who care for patients. It is important to consult a knowledgeable attorney who can advise you about your rights if you or a loved one suffered a fall in the hospital.
Contact us for a free consultation if you or a loved one has been injured in a preventable hospital fall to find out if you may have a case, or read below for more information.
Hospitals have a special role in the transfer of patients — they can and should put the policies, training and people in place to avoid preventable injuries to their patients. When hospitals choose to cut corners and put their own profits above patient safety, we're all in danger of suffering from these types of injuries. We help our clients hold the hospitals accountable and make a difference in improving the system for everyone.
— Partner
Peter J. Brodhead
Causes of Hospital Falls
If you are in the hospital, you are already sick. You may be weak or disoriented from the medicines you are taking. This means that standing, walking and using the bathroom may be difficult or impossible. The hospital or nursing home has a duty to assess your potential to fall and make arrangements to protect you. Despite this, many falls occur in hospitals each year, injuring already sick patients.
Contact us if a medical facility failed to take standard precautions to protect you or a loved one from a fall.
Our Ohio lawyers help clients and their families after they suffered falls caused by:
- A patient getting out of bed after a call button was unanswered
- Locating high-risk patients far from the nurses' station
- Allowing at-risk patients to get out of bed unsupervised
- Transferring or moving patients without adequate staff to lift the patient
- Overmedicating patients, causing balance problems or serious weakness
- Bed rails not functioning properly
Injuries Suffered in Falls
Patients who fall in nursing homes or hospitals suffer a wide range of injuries, including broken bones, head injuries and bleeding. They may also experience psychological trauma that impedes their healing. Most of these injuries prolong the hospital stay and can lead to depression and anxiety that require treatment. In short, a fall in a hospital can lead to other problems that can cascade into serious illness and injury.
For example, a head injury suffered in a fall could lead to a stroke. Broken bones, especially among the elderly, can result in the person never walking or getting out of bed again. A fall can easily cause death, especially among already frail people. Our Cleveland law firm acts for victims of hospital falls and the loved ones of family members who died as a result of a fall.
Experienced, Sophisticated, Reputable
Spangenberg Shibley & Liber is recognized as one of the pre-eminent medical malpractice law firms in Ohio. We are one of the first civil litigation firms to take on individual and mass tort cases that have had a lasting impact on how negligence laws have been shaped over the past several decades. Our lawyers represent injured clients, including those injured as a result of falls in hospitals. With more than 65 years of experience, the firm has the knowledge and resources to build strong cases for our clients. We are known for our thorough preparation and for our willingness to take cases to trial when the settlement offer is inadequate.
Free Consultation · Contingency Fees · Spanish and Ukrainian Interpreters
We offer free, confidential consultations to determine whether you are eligible to file a lawsuit. Please contact us as soon as possible to avoid deadlines that may exclude you from filing a claim. We handle all medical negligence matters on a contingency basis, so if we tell you that you have a case, be assured that we are prepared to move forward without charging you attorneys' fees. You owe us only if we win compensation for your loss.
Remember, if you have a claim, there is most likely a statute of limitations clock running, after which you won't have the right to file a claim. Protect your rights by contacting us today or calling us at (888) 633-0360.
