Hospital dropped my father in law on the floor

[viper6383]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Kansas

Try to make this quick. FIL started going down hill 8mo ago. Ended up being admitted to the hospital and was given a yellow wrist band for "fall risk". About 2 days in from his stay and about 2am, I guess he requested assistance using the rest room. The nurse came in and literally just watched him while taking on her personal (documented) cell phone. He fell in the bath room and hit his head bad enough to go get an immediate CT scan. Hit his head right where he broke his skull 8mo ago in a bike accident.

They did not call us at ALL! The only way we heard about it was a family member that went to see him about 3pm the following day. Obviously we were pissed about whole ordeal and the fact that even though he WAS an obvious fall risk, they were reluctant to help him, just watch him fall.

He passed away 1 week later from cancer. Needless to say, he was already hurting, then they do this to him. What course of action would you take on this? I honestly do not "want" to pursue it but I really want to bite their ass because this has undoubtedly happened to someone else's family member. They need to be called on it!

Should be be involving a lawyer or just deal with the hospital? This all happened about 1mo ago.

 

[cyjeff]

Call an attorney.

See, the thing is... and I am not trying to be cruel... is what were the long term effects of the fall?

Did he hurt his head? Was there a bruise the next day?

You cannot sue for what MIGHT have happened.... just for what did.

 

[viper6383]

The damage was a large bruise on most of the side of his head. Since he was already having problems with bleeding of the brain there, I have no doubt they BSed their way through his injury because he was on his death bed anyway. Cancer was taking him out fast and they knew that. I guess in the past 8mo, we have just fought and fought with hospitals and they all suck. What happened to caring for the patient??????

It would have been a totally different deal if the nurse was "trying" to help him but that is already out in the open that she might as well not have been in the room.

 

[lya]

Report the nurse to the state licensing board.

Report the hospital's failure to follow JCAHO guidelines and standards pertaining to patient falls.

That should deliver a significant bite to each ass derserving one.

 

[cyjeff]

Report the nurse to the state licensing board.

Report the hospital's failure to follow JCAHO guidelines and standards pertaining to patient falls.

That should deliver a significant bite to each ass derserving one.

Great suggestions!!!