$125,000 Settlement for Hospital Fall


November 2005
Seattle, WA

Sixteen (16) year old Jeremy Thompson* was taken to the emergency room at a Puget Sound area Hospital** following an accident he had on an ATV cycle. Jeremy had fallen off the bike and was brought to the ER department by his mother.

The initial assessment by the ER doctor revealed that Jeremy had complaints of hip pain, elbow pain and shin lacerations. He was diagnosed with a hairline fracture to his hip. Jeremy was given crutches and told to follow up with his primary care physician.

While Jeremy was waiting to be discharged, he complained of feeling dizzy and light headed. The nurse instructed Jeremy to lie down for a few minutes. However, the nurse did not take the crutches away nor did she provide further assistance.

After Jeremy’s dizziness subsided, he was instructed to walk to the discharge waiting room while using crutches. No one from the hospital’s staff bothered to assist him. No one from the staff felt the need to perform additional work-up regarding his complaints of dizziness.

While Jeremy was ambulating to the discharge waiting room, he lost consciousness. He then fell forward and landed on his face and torso. Jeremy received injuries to his head and nose. He was then airlifted to Harborview Medical Center for additional assessment for a closed head injury.

A year later, Jeremy had surgery on his nose for a deviated septum. He now has a small bump on his nose as a result of his fall.

Jeremy and his mother hired attorney Christopher M. Davis to investigate and pursue a claim against the Hospital. Jeremy’s mother felt the hospital was negligent for failing to take proper precautions with Jeremy after he complained of feeling dizzy.

Mr. Davis hired a registered nurse to review the medical records and state whether the hospital had violated its duty of care to Jeremy. The nurse felt that the Hospital was negligent in the areas of assessment, planning, evaluation and documentation.

Jeremy eventually made a full recovery. His claimed medical expenses related to the hospital fall were more than $30,000. The hospital agreed to a gross settlement of $125,000.

Jeremy was represented by attorney Christopher M. Davis in Bellevue, WA. The hospital was represented by its risk management representative Coronia Corporation in California.

*Some names have been changed to protect our client’s privacy. **The terms of settlement require that the hospital remain confidential.