What is Corporate Negligence?

Corporate negligence occurs when a company breaches a duty of care they had toward an employee or customer. A duty of care refers to one party’s responsibility to provide a reasonably safe, secure environment for the people who interact with it. In order to file a corporate negligence claim, the injured party must be able to prove that a duty of care existed and a breach of that duty occurred. Corporate negligence typically refers to a legal doctrine that holds healthcare facilities responsible for the wellbeing of their patients.

In the case of a healthcare facility such as a hospital, nursing home, or alternate care facility, if harm comes to a patient as a result of undertrained or poorly vetted employees, this could be considered corporate negligence on the part of the hiring facility. While corporate negligence is a phrase most commonly discussed in reference to medical facilities, negligence can occur when the employee of any business or entity fails to provide a reasonable degree of care to a customer or fellow employee, resulting in harm to a member of one or both groups because of supervisory oversights.

Common examples of corporate negligence:

• Failing to properly vet medical professionals before hiring
• Failing to conduct a background check
• Failing to conduct a thorough license check
• Failing to provide a clean medical environment
• Failing to provide a reasonably safe medical environment
• Failing to ensure proper training is undergone by employees
• Failing to enforce safety and health protocols
• Failing to hold employees accountable for misconduct

If you or a loved one were injured by corporate negligence, you may be eligible to file a corporate negligence claim.

Corporate negligence can result in costly and traumatic damages for the people injured by it. A successful corporate negligence claim should produce a sufficient amount of compensation to cover both the economic and non-economic damages of the injured party. Economic damages generally include expenses that have a set financial value, such as medical bills and lost wages. Non-economic damages can be harder to quantify but equally important; loss of enjoyment of life and pain and suffering are two common non-economic damages that deserve restitution.

Corporate negligence cases can be complex with multiple parties involved, so it’s important to speak to an attorney.

With so many parties involved from the medical professional who directly committed the negligent act to the medical facility responsible for hiring and supervising that employee, these cases can be tricky to litigate. Corporate negligence is a specific field of law that generally requires the experience and know-how of an expert to fight against irresponsible or negligent facilities. Additionally, attorneys versed in handling corporate negligence lawsuits know what kind of evidence exists that could potentially support your case, in addition to having the means to obtain that evidence. It’s especially important to request a copy of all medical records and keep them in a safe place where they cannot be lost or deleted.

To learn more about corporate negligence or if you or a loved one were injured due negligence in this or a similar situation, seek legal counsel to learn what your options are.