Atlanta Slip and Fall Accidents in Hospitals

When people are in the hospital, they expect to be safe from dangers, and the last thing they anticipate is to suffer additional injuries during their stay. However, because of the inherent nature of hospitals, there can be many hidden hazards that can cause injuries. Specifically, people in hospitals often slip and fall, possibly causing additional physical injuries. 

Though doctors, nurses, and staff should take numerous precautions to avoid patient slip and falls, accidents still happen. In fact, healthcare workers themselves are not immune to slipping and falling while on the job. 

If you are a patient in a hospital and you suffer an additional injury due to a fall, contact our lawyers today for a free consultation.

Common Slip and Fall Hazards Found in Hospitals

Serious injury or disability from a fall while in a healthcare setting is considered a “never event,” or the kind of mistake that should never happen in a hospital. Though never events are thought to be inexcusable, they continue to happen every day. Many patient slip and falls occur when transporting a patient to or from bed or their rooms, due to in adequate supervision from staff or support from walking devices. 

There are additional hazards commonly found in hospitals that can cause slip and falls. These include:

• Contaminants or other liquid on the floor
• Insufficient or unsteady handrails
• Tripping hazards, such as cords, wires, or medical tubing
• Improper drainage from drains or pipes
• Irregular floor surfaces, such as uneven tiling
• Inadequate lighting

Hospitals are responsible for maintaining the premises to be safe, and should constantly be checking, cleaning, or repairing floors and handrails in patient rooms and walkways. After a liquid spill is cleaned, non-slip mats should be used until everyone is absolutely sure that floor is safe for patient travel.  However, hospitals are bustling places with many things happening at once, and often the staff are overworked and pulled in many different directions. Because of this, some hazards may go unnoticed or unrepaired, causing patient falls. 

If you have been injured due to a slip and fall in a hospital, you may have a personal injury claim. Call an experienced Atlanta hospital slip and fall attorney at (980) 246-2656 as soon as possible. Shane Smith Law can help hold the hospital responsible for your injuries.