What Happens When a Patient Falls in the Hospital?

By Joshua Glotzer in Personal Injury on September 12, 2025

When discussing what happens when a patient falls in the hospital, it is important to recognize that these incidents are more than just accidents. They can have life-changing consequences and may point to failures in safety protocols. Immediate action is vital. The patient should first be checked for injuries, and their breathing and pulse monitored closely. Medical staff must notify the physician, risk manager, or patient safety officer, and thoroughly document the incident. Monitoring vital signs and neurological status is essential to protect the patient.

Even with these steps, a hospital fall may still cause lasting harm. At Glotzer & Leib, we represent Burbank patients who have suffered injuries in these circumstances.

Alarming Statistics About Patient Falls in Hospitals

Hospital falls are not rare events. Studies reveal that nearly 700,000 to 1 million patients fall in U.S. hospitals each year, and many of these incidents lead to serious injuries. Head trauma, hip fractures, and internal bleeding are just some of the potential outcomes. In California, hospital falls are considered “never events,” meaning they are largely preventable with proper care and safety measures. These alarming numbers underscore how critical it is for hospitals to maintain rigorous fall-prevention practices.

When a patient falls in the hospital, immediate assessment and documentation can reduce complications. Families often feel blindsided when such events occur because they expect the hospital to be one of the safest places for recovery. This makes the issue a medical concern and a matter of trust between the patient, their loved ones, and the institution entrusted with their care.

Common Causes of Patient Falls in Hospitals

Falls may result from many different factors, including:

• Medication side effects that affect balance
• Inadequate staffing or delayed assistance
• Unsafe conditions, such as slippery floors
• Lack of proper equipment, like bed alarms or guardrails
• Failure to assess a patient’s fall risk

These causes can often be avoided when hospitals follow established safety protocols. When they do not, patients face unnecessary dangers. In some situations, hospitals overlook fall risk assessments during admission or fail to update them after a patient’s condition changes, leaving vulnerable individuals at greater risk of injury.

At Glotzer & Leib, LLP, we believe every injury victim deserves experienced, dedicated representation, without being treated like just another case. With decades of experience and a track record of seven-figure results, we take on powerful insurance companies and fight for those whose lives have been disrupted by serious motor vehicle accident, a workplace injury, or any type of personal injury claim. You’re not just a case to us, you’re our priority.

message us call us

When a Hospital Is Liable for a Patient Fall?

Hospitals must keep their patients safe. Liability may arise when a facility fails to uphold that duty. For example, the hospital may be legally responsible for the resulting injuries if staff do not respond promptly to call buttons, fail to monitor high-risk patients properly, or neglect to maintain safe conditions.

In California, legal claims often hinge on whether the hospital could reasonably foresee the risk and whether preventive measures were taken to avoid it.

Could This Be a Case of Medical Malpractice?

Yes, in some cases, a patient’s fall may qualify as medical malpractice. Suppose the injury was caused by negligent medical care, such as misdiagnosing a patient’s fall risk or ignoring clear signs of danger. In that case, the incident may go beyond general negligence and fall under malpractice. Proving this requires showing that the hospital staff failed to meet the accepted standard of care, which directly caused the injury.

Families pursuing these claims often benefit from detailed medical reviews and testimony to establish how the care deviated from accepted practices.

What Hospitals Must Do to Prevent Patient Falls

Facilities must be proactive in reducing fall risks. Proper fall-prevention measures include:

• Assessing each patient’s risk level
• Maintaining safe environments
• Using bed alarms and guardrails
• Providing adequate staff training
• Implementing ongoing safety evaluations
• Promptly investigating any incidents
• Adjusting prevention plans when risks are identified

According to the Fall Prevention Foundation, these measures are essential to keeping patients safe. Consistency matters because patients remain at risk when safety rules are applied unevenly. By weaving fall-prevention practices into daily routines, hospitals can create a safer environment and significantly lower the number of incidents.

Steps to Take If You’ve Been Injured in a Hospital Fall

After a hospital fall, injured patients should take steps to protect their rights:

• Seek immediate medical attention and document the injury
• Keep copies of medical records and photographs of the scene
• Save any written communication from hospital staff
• Collect witness statements if available
• Preserve all evidence related to the fall
• Track costs for follow-up treatment, rehabilitation, and lost wages

California courts require evidence to meet specific standards to be considered valid in a personal injury case, as explained by the California Courts. Acting quickly and preserving evidence increases the chances of building a strong case. It is also important to track all costs associated with the fall, including follow-up treatment, rehabilitation, and lost wages, because these losses may be recoverable in a claim.

Contact a Personal Injury Attorney for Your Hospital Fall Injury Case

A hospital fall can turn recovery into a painful setback. When negligence is to blame, patients deserve answers and fair compensation. At Glotzer & Leib, we stand by individuals in Burbank who have been harmed by preventable hospital falls.

Call us today at 747-241-8288 or visit us at 1023 N Hollywood Way, Suite 202, Burbank, CA 91505, to discuss your situation and learn how we can help protect your rights.