An elderly female patient (87) who experienced an unexpected incident at the Oasis hospital in Narahenpita after she stepped on to the carpet which was loosely laid down over the manhole cover that causes fractures to her left knee, had filed a lawsuit against the private hospital claiming Rs.10.22 million as loss and damages.

87-year-old plaintiff Winifred Aileen Perera a resident of Kirulapona filed this lawsuit before Colombo District Court stating that she was demanding the concerned amount from the private hospital as damages for the failure to observe a duty care by the defendant hospital.

 {module LOLC}

She informed the Court that she visited the private hospital on December 26, 2012 seeking treatment for the right shoulder pain but she had to suffer serious injuries-fracturing to her left knee and bruising and scratching to her face after she stepped on to the unprotected carpet while she was returning towards the exit gate of the hospital.

She further stated she was carried into a consultation room with the help of the defendant’s hospital staff and a doctor of the hospital recommended an X-ray for her knee. She stated the doctor who examined the X-ray determined that her knee cap had been severely broken in several places and it was compulsory to undergo a surgery immediately.

The patient said that she was transferred to another private hospital due to defendant hospital’s sub-standard surgical facilities. The plaintiff stated that  had to pay Rs.226,524 for surgery charges, doctor’s consultation fees and further medical bills at the second private hospital. The plaintiff stated she suffered  damages such as partial disability of her left leg, extreme difficulty in walking even with the help of a walker, physical pain and suffering and financial losses.

She also  stated that her accident was caused by acts of negligence on the part of the hospital authorities. The case has been currently fixed for trial.