Newport News Patient/Hospital Falls Lawyer

When you are in the hospital recovering from an injury or surgery, you often suffer from disorientation, weakness and/or an unstable gait. At times, you could need assistance walking to the bathroom, transferring/transporting, or completing other daily tasks. Hospitals and nurses owe their patients a continuing duty of care to assess and intervene for them when they are at high risk of falling. If healthcare providers do not meet those standards of care and a patient suffers from a fall, they can be held liable for the injuries they sustain.

If you work with Waterman Law Centers, PLLC, you will have an award-winning, dependable lawyer ready to fight for your rights and compensation. The severe injuries you suffer from a hospital fall in Newport News, Virginia, can limit your ability to enjoy once-loved activities and daily tasks. You have the right to hold those liable for your injury, and our Newport News hospital falls attorney will provide you with the best possible outcome for your claim.

Who Is Vulnerable to Hospital Fall Injuries?

Individuals over the age of 65 are most at risk. Hospital patient fall injuries can last a significant amount of time and require physical therapy, surgery, and other extensive treatment. Older individuals can also tend to be slow to recover due to their age and general health decline.

What Causes Hospital Falls in Newport News, Virginia

Hospitals are providing care for patients 24/7. However, this does not excuse any negligence. Hospitals and their employees have a duty to provide the necessary care for all patients.

There are numerous ways a healthcare provider’s negligence can cause a hospital fall, including:

  • Toileting: The majority of hospital patient falls are caused by nurses and aides not assisting patients with toileting properly. Some fail to respond to call bells on a timely basis, forcing patients to go to the bathroom unassisted. Others assist patients to the bathroom, yet then leave them alone in the bathroom unattended.
  • Transfer/Transport: Toileting aside, high fall risk patients require assistance – sometimes even special devices – when transferring between beds, chairs, gurneys, rooms, etc. Moreover, direct supervision of the patient while in a wheelchair or gurney is often necessary for high fall risk patients too. Hence, the failure of nurses to assist, accompany and/or otherwise safeguard causes hospital falls.
  • Assessment: As a threshold matter, sometimes hospital nurses simply fail to assess whether the patient is a high fall risk. Other times, nurses perform a patient fall risk assessment, yet fail to complete and/or score it properly. Further, occasionally patients are not re-assessed when required by changing shifts and/or circumstances. As a result, the patient does not get the benefit of special fall precautions deserved and needed.
  • Intervention: Even when a patient is assessed properly as a high fall risk, sometimes hospital nurses simply fail to follow through with the safety interventions required for their patient. As a result, falls occur.
  • Other: Although the foregoing covers the vast majority of hospital falls, high fall risk patient falls in other hospital contexts can also result in healthcare provider liability.

A fall is not only dangerous because of hitting the floor, but also the potential for the individual to strike something on his or her way down. For example, if you fall and hit your head on a nearby table, you can suffer a traumatic brain injury that requires extensive medical treatment. Speak with Avery T. “Sandy” Waterman, Jr., Esq. as soon as possible to start your claim and hold those liable accountable for your injuries.

When to Contact a Newport News Hospital Fall Lawyer

Hospitals are extremely savvy about responding to and defending against possible claims against their staff. They have public relations, risk management, and even so-called “patient advocates” who try to steer patients and their families away from getting their own lawyers, trying to settle things quickly and cheaply. If you try to represent yourself without a legal professional, you place your rights and compensation at risk. A Newport News hospital fall lawyer like Avery T. “Sandy” Waterman, Jr., Esq. has the knowledge and experience to handle legal conflicts and will provide you with the following services:

  • Gathering evidence like medical records and employment records
  • Answering all your legal questions
  • Filing your claim timely and otherwise properly
  • Negotiating with the hospital and insurers
  • Determining who is liable for your injuries
  • Calculating your damages
  • Utilizing resources like medical professionals and accident reconstruction specialists
  • Taking your case to trial if necessary and appropriate
  • Researching medical and technical literature

A hospital fall claim is challenging to navigate on your own. Having a Newport News patient fall attorney will lift the overwhelming burden off your shoulders, so you can recover from your injuries without the added stress of a legal conflict. Contact Waterman Law Center and learn about how they will help your claim.

Contact Attorney Avery T. “Sandy” Waterman, Jr., Esq. for a Hospital Fall Attorney Today

Handling a medical malpractice claim as you recover from your fall is stressful and overwhelming. The award-winning lawyer at Waterman Law Centers, PLLC has over 40 years of award-winning experience handling complex legal claims for clients across Virginia. As an established member of our community, Waterman Law Centers, PLCC is listed in US News and World Reports as one of the best law firms in Hampton Roads for medical malpractice and for personal injury.

If you suffered from a harmful hospital fall, schedule a free consultation with our award-winning lawyer by calling (757) 881-9881 or filling out our contact form today.