ANNOUNCER: I’m with John Nicholson from Cohen Highley Lawyers. If you’re a hospital patient and suffer a fall, can there be a lawsuit?
JOHN: It depends. Patient falls in hospitals are more common than people may think. Falls often happen when patients are being transferred, say, into a wheelchair, a bed or to the bathroom. Hospitals are required to have systems in place to try to prevent vulnerable patients from falling. Like the Morse Fall Risk Scale.
ANNOUNCER: Which is?
JOHN: It’s an assessment to determine a patient’s likelihood of falling due to neurological issues, ambulatory issues or medication effects. Depending on someone’s score, the hospital may need to put safeguards into place to minimize the risk of falling.
ANNOUNCER: What kind of safeguards?
JOHN: Staff assistance with transfers, bed rails and bed alarms set to notify staff when a vulnerable patient is trying to get up. If the hospital fails to put safeguards in place and a serious injury results, the hospital could be liable.
