The Claim:
During a particularly bad snow and ice storm the lobby of a
senior citizen independent living housing building became wet
and slippery. One of the residents while rushing to catch an
elevator slipped and fell breaking her hip.
How The Incident Was Handled:
The manager and service coordinator immediately came out of
their office to assist the woman and the receptionist called 911
to request an ambulance. The staff stayed with the woman kept
her calm and did not let her try to get up. One of the staff
went to the hospital with the resident and the manager called a
family member to let them know what had happened where she was
taken then notified the insurance company of the incident. The
resident was assured that her medical bills would be paid. While
she was in the hospital she received a bouquet of flowers from
the building and a card signed by other residents of the
building.
What They Did Wrong:
• The area should have been mopped up and maintenance staff
should have been keeping an eye on the area to prevent recurring
pools of water.
• Yellow safety “Slip And Fall Warning” cones should have been
put in the lobby.
The lobby area should have had a non-skid rug to put down in
inclement weather.
What They Did Right:
• The staff immediately responded to the incident.
• The staff was caring and concerned but took charge of the
situation.
• The resident was not allowed to try to get up.
• Medical assistance was called immediately.
• The family was notified in a timely manner.
• The insurance company was notified as quickly as possible.
• Good follow up was done with the resident
THE RESULTS:
Because she received medical attention as quickly as possible
the resident spend a few days in the hospital and a very short
time in a rehab facility then returned to her apartment with no
lasting effects.
As soon as it was notified of the incident the insurance company
set a minimum reserve of $50,000 in the claim fund and opened a
file.
Because she felt well taken care of during the event she and her
family accepted the medical payment from the insurance company
and did sue for additional money. The manager and maintenance
staff met to discuss the incident and took several corrective
actions to keep a similar accident from happening in the future.
