Hospital Falls Malpractice Experts

FINDING A HOSPITAL FALLS LAWYER AT DAVIS ADAMS

Since first starting the Davis Adams firm, Jess Davis and Chad Adams have focused on challenging high-stakes medical malpractice cases, including hospital falls malpractice. Those looking for an experienced hospital fall lawyer with expertise specific to varying types of patient hospital falls will find Davis Adams to be a comprehensive, caring, and successful professional partner.

Hospital fall negligence is highly complex, but Davis Adams regularly takes on cases that other firms may shy away from. This tenacity and willingness to work with clients dealing with all types of detrimental situations after a hospital fall have made their firm one of the most trusted in the state.

When it’s time to find a hospital falls attorney that’s ready to take your case on with confidence, Davis Adams is the right choice. From their headquarters in Atlanta, the hospital fall lawyers at Davis Adams handle cases nationwide.

SLIPS AND FALLS THAT RESULT IN MALPRACTICE AS COMPARED TO NEGLIGENCE

It’s essential to understand some critical differences between hospital fall-related claims if you want to succeed in court. Each claim comes with varying points a hospital falls lawyer needs to prove to obtain justice for a client.

Typically, medical malpractice cases are considered the most complicated to argue. Legal matters of this nature often require a qualified medical expert witness to provide their professional opinion on topics such as the appropriate standard of care under a victim’s specific circumstances as well as damages. The appropriate standard of care indicates what a medical expert believes a physician, nurse, or medical staff should have done when treating an injured individual.

WHEN A PATIENT FALL COULD POTENTIALLY BE THE RESULT OF MALPRACTICE

If a hospital fall led to injury during a timeframe in which a patient was receiving direct care, it might be grounds for medical malpractice. A hospital falls attorney can also argue this type of case when the provided treatment did not meet appropriate medical care standards and that shortcoming contributed to the patient’s fall in some way.

An example of an in-patient fall that could potentially constitute medical malpractice would be polypharmacy. This happens when a patient is prescribed multiple medications, and their combined side effects contributed to physical instability and a subsequent fall.

Failure to diagnose or a misdiagnosis can also be grounds for a medical malpractice case. An example would be when a physician fails to notice that a patient has suffered a debilitating episode, such as a stroke, and the individual then falls due to undiagnosed symptoms.

Patients who fall due to being placed in beds without adequate safety rails often qualify for medical malpractice cases. If a patient fails to be assessed as high risk for falling and subsequently suffers an injury, medical malpractice could again be applicable.

WHEN A FALL COULD BE THE RESULT OF ORDINARY NEGLIGENCE

Slips and falls can happen in all kinds of places, including on hospital property. For ordinary negligence to apply to these falls, the fall needs to be unrelated to a patient’s condition or course of treatment.

An example might be a patient who slips in a hospital hallway due to water accumulated on the floor underneath a ceiling leak. Even if the patient were in the hospital to be treated for something different, any injury incurred as a result of this particular fall would fall under ordinary negligence.

THE MOST COMMON REASONS FOR HOSPITAL FALLS

Hospitals are essential and busy places. Unfortunately, this also means there are plenty of opportunities for falls to happen within this environment.

One of the most common reasons patient falls occur in hospitals is improperly trained staff failing to follow lifting and transfer techniques. Not using the appropriate lifting assistance or devices may be due to negligent oversight or simply a lack of established hospital safety culture.

In the chaos of caring for patients amid nursing shortages, the likelihood of an in-hospital patient fall rises dramatically. A lack of appropriate staffing leads to communication failures that, in turn, cause falls and injuries.

Some other common scenarios that lead to patient falls in a hospital include placing patients in beds without safety rails, ignoring alarms, not utilizing wheelchairs, and not responding to patient requests promptly.

INJURIES THAT CAN BE CAUSED BY FALLS

While in-patient hospital falls can happen to anyone, they tend to be more common amongst older adults receiving treatment. Severe hospital falls in elderly patients can cause head trauma which can lead to brain injury, intracranial bleeding, and even death.

Some of the most common injuries inflicted when a patient falls in a hospital are broken bones and lacerations. The wrists and hips are particularly prone to breaking during a fall, while internal bleeding around these breaks is often seen as well. Those who suffer lacerations are at risk for developing hospital-acquired or healthcare-associated infections.

SEEKING COMPENSATION FOR DAMAGES AFTER A HOSPITAL FALL

Those who suffer injuries resulting from a hospital fall caused by the negligence of a physician or facility staff are entitled to monetary compensation. Collecting this justified compensation allows the injured individual to cover their medical bills and pay for any possible rehabilitation services or surgeries that may be required.

In addition to costs associated with emergency medical care and any long-term medical expenses incurred due to this type of injury, you can collect compensation for both mental pain and emotional suffering. Lost wages due to a patient becoming incapacitated as a result of a fall also fall under the umbrella of hospital fall damages.

Seeking financial compensation for damages after a hospital fall is not only justified but also often necessary. Patients injured in a fall often need finances in place to cover additional injury-related expenses, such as medical aids and care related to chronic pain or disfigurement.