Knee Surgery Patient Falls after Being Told to Use Bedpan in Restroom Independently; $700K Award

A hospital patient who had just undergone knee surgery fell after being told to use a bedpan in the restroom independently. In a lawsuit the patient brought against the hospital in Pennsylvania state court, a jury has awarded the patient $700,000, according to an article in the May 2022 issue of Medical Malpractice Verdicts, Settlements & Experts.

The patient underwent revision of a knee replacement. The next morning, the patient told a staff member that she needed to return to her bed to use the bedpan. Instead of asking a nurse to help the patient, the staff member told the patient to use the bedpan in the restroom without assistance. Trying to use the bedpan in the restroom while standing up, the patient had difficulty managing her clothing, the bedpan, and her walker. The patient fell. Her wound reopened down to the implant, requiring emergency surgery. The patient also suffered multiple tears to the connective tissues in her knees. The tears were repaired, but the patient required a locked brace for six weeks. She continues to...