Hospital Negligence and Inadequate Fall Prevention

Atlee Hall recently secured a substantial confidential settlement on behalf of the family of a patient who died during an inpatient hospital stay after alleged failures in fall prevention, monitoring, and patient safety.

The patient had been identified as a high fall risk and, at times, required one-on-one supervision. Despite these known risks, it was alleged that appropriate precautions were not maintained to prevent the patient from getting out of bed or to alert providers if he attempted to do so. Required bed alarms were not set, and no provider was alerted when the patient got out of bed.

The patient was later found unresponsive after getting out of bed, with his breathing support device dislodged. Despite efforts to revive him, he died.

Why This Case Matters

The patient had been identified as a high fall risk, making appropriate monitoring and fall-prevention measures critical to his safety. His need for one-on-one supervision at times further demonstrated the level of risk known to the hospital staff.

The case raised significant questions about whether appropriate safety precautions were maintained during the hours before the patient's death. In particular, the evidence raised concerns about whether required bed alarms were properly set and whether adequate monitoring was in place to alert providers if the patient attempted to leave his bed.

The patient's death occurred after he was able to get out of bed without providers being alerted and his breathing support device became dislodged. The case centered on whether appropriate fall-risk interventions and monitoring could have prevented the events that ultimately led to his death.

How We Built A Winning Case

Investigate

After the patient’s death, his family turned to Atlee Hall for answers. The firm’s attorneys conducted a thorough review of the patient’s medical records and hospital documentation and pursued extensive discovery into the care he received during his inpatient stay.

Atlee Hall examined the patient’s documented fall risk, supervision requirements, monitoring practices, bed-alarm records, and the events leading up to the patient’s death. The firm also retained leading experts to evaluate the care provided and determine whether appropriate safety measures were in place when they were most needed.

Analyze

Through its investigation and expert review, Atlee Hall identified significant questions about whether the hospital followed appropriate fall-prevention and monitoring practices for a patient known to be at high risk of falling.

The evidence raised concerns about the failure to maintain required bed alarms and the lack of an alert when the patient got out of bed. Expert analysis also examined whether appropriate continuous monitoring and other fall-risk interventions should have been maintained based on the patient’s condition and documented safety needs.

Synthesize

Atlee Hall developed the evidence into a compelling case concerning the hospital’s responsibility to protect a known high-risk patient from foreseeable harm. By examining the patient’s medical records, safety precautions, monitoring practices, and the circumstances surrounding his death, the firm demonstrated the significance of the alleged failures in patient safety.

The evidence and expert opinions raised substantial questions about whether appropriate precautions could have prevented the patient from getting out of bed and whether earlier intervention could have prevented the events that followed.

The Result

Atlee Hall successfully secured a substantial confidential settlement on behalf of the patient's family.

Because the settlement includes a confidentiality provision, the amount and other specific terms of the resolution cannot be disclosed. The settlement provides meaningful support to the patient’s family following his death and reflects Atlee Hall’s commitment to pursuing accountability when failures in patient safety and medical care have devastating consequences.

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