What is Hospital Malpractice? Kingston Medical Malpractice Lawyer

We trust hospitals.  They are the places we go when we have been hurt or traumatized.  We go there to be safe.  However, hospitals do not always follow the right rules and don’t always take every precaution to ensure their patient’s safety.  When a hospital patient is injured or develops and illness resulting from the negligence or lack of reasonable care of a hospital, then hospital malpractice has occurred.

There are many forms of hospital malpractice, including surgical errors, negligent testing, medication mistakes and the development of infections.  Patient falls is one of the most common forms of malpractice.  Patients are supposed to be watched and monitored, however those in charge will sometimes fail to pay attention at the most critical times.  The most common situations when patient falls occur are when:

• Bedrails are not put up and patients fall or roll out of bed
• A patient attempts to walk after being bedridden or incapacitated for an extended period of time without the proper support or assistance
• A patient has been sedated and is not aware of their capabilities after taking medication
• A patient has been discharged and sent home early
• A patient falls while being transferred between beds, from wheelchair to bed, or from a stretcher to another surface
• A patient has been left unattended
• A hospital has poor lighting, slippery floors or cluttered hallways

It is not possible to predict every situation or take every precaution.  However, it is important to know that hospitals have a responsibility to ensure that their patients have reasonable and safe care.  Hospitals can do certain things to prevent patient falls including:

• Placing patients who have a propensity for falling closer to the nurse’s station for closer monitoring
• Using beds and chairs that are difficult to get out of without assistance
• Using patient restraints when absolute necessary
• Ensuring that nurses and doctors are appropriately staffed

Falls of all kinds can be serious, especially if a caregiver in a hospital fails to perform the standard of reasonable care.  Serious injuries can result from these falls often resulting in higher medical bills, loss of work, and possibly years of rehabilitation and therapy.

I would love to hear from you!  Leave a comment or I also welcome your phone call on my toll-free cell at 1-866-889-6882 or you can drop me an e-mail at jfisher@fishermalpracticelaw.com.  You are always welcome to request my FREE book, The Seven Deadly Mistakes of Malpractice Victims, at the home page of my website at www.protectingpatientrights.com.