Many New York residents will be visiting friends or family members in hospitals throughout the state in the near future. Anyone concerned with potential safety risks may want to pay close attention to a premises liability lawsuit filed in another state. The case involves a woman who was severely injured at a hospital when she was trying to exit the building.
The woman reportedly owns a high profile catering business that she says she is no longer able to run due to the injuries she suffered when an automated door at the hospital slammed shut on her and catapulted her to the ground outside the building. The woman is said to have screamed out in excruciating pain, which was likely related to the broken hip she later learned she had endured. The 68-year-old says the incident has ruined her successful career.
In the immediate aftermath of the accident, hospital staff placed the injured woman on a gurney and gave her morphine to alleviate her pain. She also underwent surgery and was told a metal rod was permanently inserted in her leg. She is suing not only the hospital where the incident took place but also the door manufacturer. The woman had to find a new place to live because the metal rod rendered her incapable of climbing the 16 stairs that led to her apartment.
She is seeking compensatory and punitive damages. The woman’s claim states that her life has been devastated and she is no longer able to do simple things she enjoyed, such as dance or exercise. In New York and all states, one or more parties may be held legally accountable in premises liability cases like this one if a plaintiff is able to prove in court that a defendant was negligent in the accident that resulted in injury.
Source: Malibu, Ca. Patch, “Malibu Woman Sues Hospital For Rapidly Closing Door That Broke Her Hip“, Emily Holland, Aug. 17, 2017
