Can I Sue If I’m Injured In A Slip And Fall Accident At A Detroit Hospital?

If you or a loved one was hurt in a slip and fall at a hospital in Detroit, it’s important that you call an experienced slip and fall lawyer right away to protect your legal rights and help you recover compensation for your pain and suffering and money damages to cover your economic loss, such as medical bills and lost wages and earnings.

Hospitals have a duty to protect you from dangerous conditions on their property, and when they don’t, and someone slips and falls, the hospital can be held liable for the resulting injuries.

Suing a hospital can be challenging, especially if it’s a public hospital.

One of the most important steps you can take after a slip and fall accident at a Detroit hospital is to hire an experienced lawyer who specializes exclusively in slip and fall injuries and has a track record of success, including winning million-dollar settlements and verdicts, as well as a strong reputation among insurance companies and defense attorneys. The right lawyer will significantly increase your chances of settling for the full value of your case.

Your consultation is always free, there is no obligation, and you won’t pay a dime unless you win!

What are the most common causes of a slip and fall in a hospital?

Hospitals are busy places, filled with patients, employees, visitors, and others, all of whom are at risk of a slip and fall. The most common causes of hospital slips and falls are:

• Food, beverage, and liquid spills
• Highly-polished floors
• Uneven walking services
• Poor lighting
• Poor maintenance
• Lack of handrails
• Loose carpeting
• Electrical cords
• Medical equipment in hallways
• Broken elevators
• Lack of wheelchairs
• Untrained or improperly trained staff
• Lack of communication between hospital staff

Can I sue a hospital for my slip and fall injury in Detroit?

You can sue a Detroit hospital for your slip and fall injury if you can show that: (1) a dangerous condition was present on the property; (2) the hospital owed you a duty to keep your safe from harm; (3) it breached that duty by failing to fix the dangerous condition or warn you about it; (4) this breach was the cause of your injuries.

In Stitt v. Holland, the Michigan Supreme Court held that a property owner (such as a hospital) “has a duty of care, not only to warn the invitee of any known dangers, but the additional obligation to also make the premises safe, which requires [the property owner] to inspect the premises and, depending upon the circumstances, make any necessary repairs or warn of any discovered hazards.”

The duty owed to you depends on your “status” when you are at the hospital. In most cases, patients, family members, and many others are considered “invitees” because they are invited onto the hospital property for the purpose of facilitating medical treatment or care, which benefits the hospital. (M Civ JI 19.01).

In some cases, however, an individual may be at the hospital with the hospital’s permission, but without any direct benefit to the property owner. This person would be a “licensee.” The hospital owes the licensee a duty only to warn him or her of any hidden dangers that are known or should be know, “if the licensee does not know or have reason to know of the dangers involved.” Stitt v. Holland.

The Michigan slip and fall statute of limitations for suing a hospital is 3 years from the date of the accident.

Can I sue a government-owned hospital for a slip and fall in Detroit?

Suing a government hospital is a little trickier, but you can still sue a hospital run by a state university, county, region or city, if you can show that the dangerous condition that caused your injury was known to the hospital and it failed to fix it or take action to protect you. (MCL 691.1406)

As with a private hospital, the statute of limitations to file your lawsuit is 3 years from the date of your accident. But when it comes to suing a government hospital, there are other deadlines that you may need to comply with or risk having your lawsuit thrown out of court, including:

• You must serve notice of your injury, the defect, and any witnesses within 120 days of the date when you suffered your injury. (MCL 691.1406)

• If you are suing the State of Michigan you must file your notice of intent to file a claim against the state with the clerk of the Court of Claims within 6 months of your injury. (MCL 600.6431(1) and (4))

Government-owned hospitals in Detroit include Detroit Medical Center (which includes Detroit Receiving Hospital and Sinai-Grace Hospital), Wayne County Health Systems, and C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital (located in Ann Arbor but also servicing Detroit), which is part of the University of Michigan Health System.

Is it worth hiring a lawyer for my slip and fall at a hospital in Detroit?

If you were hurt in a slip and fall at Detroit hospital, hiring an experienced slip and fall attorney who specializes exclusively in this area of law is arguably the most important decision you can make. You should also act quickly because preserving and gathering key evidence before it is lost or destroyed can make or break your case, potentially costing you hundreds of thousands if not millions of dollars. As soon as you hire an experienced slip and fall lawyer, he or she will conduct a thorough investigation, gather and preserve important evidence, determine liability and your damages, and negotiate with the insurance company and insurance defense lawyer on your behalf. Of course, your consultation is always free, and there is no obligation, so there’s no risk, only reward.