Premises such as grocery stores, shopping malls and hospitals that receive significant foot traffic have a responsibility to take reasonable precautions to prevent people from becoming injured due to a slippery floor. Any individual who suffers a slip and fall injury because the staff of a premises failed to properly maintain the floor or display warning signs may wish to work with a personal injury attorney to determine if damages can be sought. Readers in Georgia might be interested to hear about such a case that’s currently taking place in Oregon.
A woman is suing a hospital for damages of $600,000 after slipping on the floor and suffering injuries that required surgery on both of her shoulders. The woman is seeking $100,000 for hospital bills and $500,000 for her ongoing medical suffering and physical pain. The woman states that her normal activities have been hindered due to the tightness, stiffness and loss of motion she is now experiencing.
The incident occurred in February of 2011. According to the complaint, people entering the facility had been tracking snow into the hospital, causing it to melt into the carpet and onto the tile. The tile floor became slippery, but the hospital allegedly failed to mop it or place warning cones that would alert people to the dangerous conditions. The suit contends that the hospital also failed to place non-slip material in the location where the woman fell.
Attorneys for the defense deny that the hospital demonstrated any negligence, instead stating that the woman caused her own injuries by failing to “keep a proper lookout for her safety.” Despite this claim, however, the hospital does not currently have a good track record for ensuring the safety of its patients. The facility is currently the subject of several lawsuits with damages totaling in the millions of dollars.
Source: The Bulletin, “Bend’s St. Charles suit alleges slip-and-fall” Shelby R. King, Feb. 22, 2014