Estate Planning Lawyer
When people go to a hospital—whether they are there as a patient for a medical procedure or they are there to visit someone who is a patient—they expect to leave in the same or healthier condition they were when they got there. One of the reasons for this is because hospitals are under strict safety and sanitary guidelines and this includes not leaving out sharp or dangerous medical tools or ensuring the staff cleans up a spill in enough time. Unfortunately, when a hospital does not abide by these safety guidelines, it means their patients and visitors may fall victim to minor or life-threatening injuries. One of the most common hospital accidents to occur is a slip and fall injury. When this is the case, it is important to get the help and opinion of a hospital accident attorney who can ensure you have everything you need for a claim and that you receive a fair amount of compensation. For more information on how a hospital accident attorney can help you.
What is Premises Liability?
This body of law encompasses the rules regarding any person who possesses property and how they might be liable for damages if someone else suffers an injury on their property.
How does this relate to hospitals?
Hospitals are like any other type of property. The hospital owes you a duty of care when patients, staff, contractors, and visitors come to their establishment. Thus, if you were at a hospital and you were the victim of a slip and fall accident, there are a few things that you will need to prove when you are setting up your claim. These are:
- The Hospital Owed You A Duty of Care. The hospital is responsible for ensuring that their property is safe for people who visit. Thus, to prove that the hospital owed you this duty, you must show that you were at the hospital during the time that your slip and fall accident occurred. You should also explain why you were there (you were a patient or you were visiting a patient).
- The Hospital Failed in their Duties and was Negligent. The next step is proving negligence. When you are the victim in a slip and fall case, you must show that there was some negligent act on behalf of the hospital that caused your injury. For example, there was a puddle in the middle of the hospital’s hallway that had been sitting there and no staff member cleaned it up or put any kind of warning or hazard signs to encourage people to go around it. Because of this, you did not see the puddle and you consequently slipped and fell.
- The Hospital’s Negligence Caused Your Injury. Because the hospital failed to put up warning signs, you were injured. You would not have sustained this injury if the hospital had not been negligent. From your slip and fall, you were hurt.
Filing Your Claim
Slip and fall accident claims can be tricky, but when you have a medical malpractice attorney offers on your side, you know you are in the right hands and your attorney will fight hard to get you compensation. For more information, reach out to a law firm today.
