Who Is Liable for a Slip and Fall Injury at a Hospital?

Posted in Slip and Fall Accidents on September 30, 2025

Hospitals are where people go when they’re hoping to receive the care they need to live their healthiest possible lives. Hospital hallways, cafeterias, lobbies, and waiting rooms are filled with those who come to support and comfort ill or recovering loved ones. Patients, visitors, and others who walk into hospitals hope to walk out again in the same or better condition than when they entered.

Yet, an estimated 700,000 to 1,000,000 Americans fall in hospitals each year. Slip-and-fall accidents in hospitals affect patients, employees, visitors, and others, sometimes causing serious injuries that disrupt lives. But who does a hospital slip-and-fall injury victim hold liable for the resulting damages, such as medical expenses and lost wages?

Contact a slip and fall lawyer in New York City today — call (212) 564-2800.

Understanding Liability for Hospital Slip-and-Fall Accidents

Hospital administrators have the ultimate authority on all aspects of facility management, extending far beyond the medical sector. This includes hiring qualified staff, overseeing maintenance and repair projects, monitoring all cleaning and upkeep, and ensuring that the facility meets safety standards and procedural requirements.

Property owners owe a duty of care to take all reasonable measures to minimize the risk of injuries on their property. When a property owner, such as a private or corporate hospital owner, invites people onto their property for commercial or business purposes, they owe an enhanced duty of care, including the responsibility to hire effective administrators. For this reason, the hospital itself is generally liable for a slip-and-fall injury victim’s damages. Depending on the circumstances, however, third parties are sometimes held liable for causing or contributing to the cause of an accident if their actions were negligent. For example, maintenance, repair, or construction contractors could be liable if their failure to adhere to safety protocols or other negligence causes a slip-and-fall injury in a hospital.

Common Causes of Slip-and-Fall Accidents In Hospitals

When hospital administrators or their hired employees or contractors fail to take the reasonable measures expected of them, such as making routine inspections and promptly addressing slip-and-fall hazards, they may be held liable for the injury victim’s damages. The most common causes of hospital slip-and-fall injuries include the following:

Slick or slippery floor surfaces
Wet floors from mopping (failure to place warning signs)
Wet floors from plumbing leaks
Spilled beverages
Inappropriate floor cleaning or floor wax products
Loose or rolled floor mats
Debris or clutter on the floor
Inadequate lighting

Hospital settings are filled with ill and unsteady patients with mobility issues, making it exceptionally important to maintain safe floor surfaces.

What Damages are Recoverable in Hospital Slip and Fall Cases?

A well-executed, evidence-backed claim against a hospital’s liability insurance can recover compensation for damages such as medical expenses, future medical costs, lost earnings, future income loss, diminished earning ability, and compensation for pain and suffering. If a fall causes catastrophic injuries such as a permanent brain injury or spinal cord damage with paralysis, additional compensation may be recoverable.

It often takes a skilled slip-and-fall accident attorney to make a compelling case demonstrating the hospital’s liability and the full extent of the injury victim’s damages. When a patient or visitor suffers a preventable injury such as a slip-and-fall accident, they don’t have to be left to face the financial consequences of the injury as well as the physical ones.