In previous posts we have written about the dangers associated with working in the medical field. The locations in which a health care professional might be injured are not limited to hospitals and doctor's offices. As a lawsuit recently filed by a Pennsylvania hospital worker illustrates, it can occur in other settings as well.
The woman who filed the personal injury lawsuit says that during winter she was working in a mobile medical trailer that had a door that jammed. She claims that after trying multiple times to get the door open it suddenly opened. When the door opened she slipped on the step–which had not been cleared of ice and snow–and ended up falling to the ground.
As a result of the fall the woman says she continues to suffer from:
- Injuries to her back and a shoulder.
- Ongoing aches.
- Ongoing pain and suffering that makes it difficult for her to do the things she needs to do each day.
- Mental anxiety and anguish.
Among other things, the woman claims that Medicoach failed to clear the steps in the winter weather and did not make sure that the trailer was safe and free from defects that could be dangerous. She asserts that the serious injuries she suffered are a result of Medicoach not doing what it was supposed to. She is seeking $150,000 for that negligence. Her husband is also seeking damages, for loss of consortium.
During the time the woman spent away from work healing it is possible that she filed a workers' compensation claim as well. Those benefits are obtained not through a legal complaint but rather an application to the employer's insurance company.
Source: The Pennsylvania Record, "Hospital worker sues after alleged fall from mobile medical trailer," Jim Boyle, Jan. 7, 2015