Vancouver General Hospital v. Zheng
Vancouver Coastal Health Authority Operating as a Public Hospital Under the Name of Vancouver General Hospital
Ying Wei Zheng
Law Firm / Organization
Preszler Injury Lawyers BC
Lawyer(s)

Dairn Owen Shane

Background:
Ying Wei Zheng, an 83-year-old patient, suffered a hip fracture after falling while unsupervised at Vancouver General Hospital (VGH) on September 21, 2016. Despite his daughter informing the nursing staff that he was restless and hallucinating, they did not assign one-to-one supervision, leading to his fall.

Legal Issue:
The primary issue was whether VGH’s nursing staff breached the standard of care by failing to provide one-to-one supervision given Mr. Zheng’s condition. VGH argued that there was no evidence requiring such supervision without clear indications that the patient was trying to get out of bed.

Court’s Decision:
The Court of Appeal for British Columbia upheld the trial court's decision, finding that the nursing staff should have provided one-to-one supervision based on the risks. The court ruled that their failure to do so constituted negligence, and dismissed VGH’s appeal.

Costs and Award:
The document did not specify the exact costs or any award, but it is implied that costs were likely awarded to Ying Wei Zheng since the appeal was dismissed.

Conclusion:
The court confirmed that the standard of care required more proactive measures to prevent falls in patients like Mr. Zheng, affirming the negligence ruling against Vancouver General Hospital.

Court of Appeals for British Columbia
CA48647
Tort law
Respondent