< Back to Previous Page Dangerous Patients Slip Out of Florida Hospitals Four hospitals in the Tampa Bay area have been accused of letting their “Baker Act” patients out of the hospital without first being stabilized or evaluated. These patients, who are turned over by their family members are considered dangerous to themselves or dangerous to society. Many are drug or alcohol addicts. Others have serious mental health issues. Hospitals who are left in charge of these patients have the responsibility to ensure that they do not escape from the facility. When these patients do get loose, they often cause a great deal of harm to those who try to re-capture them, and can also become suicidal and do dramatic harm to themselves. Many of the hospitals are fearful of the patients and also of accusations of false imprisonment, which is sometimes necessary to detain a dangerous psychotic patient. However, legal professionals try to explain to these hospitals that the personal injury and wrongful death lawsuits would be far worse than false imprisonment. The Tampa Bay hospitals will likely face some repercussions for their release of Baker Acted patients. Families of the escapees claim that the hospitals repeatedly fail to meet their obligations. If a member of your family, who has unfortunately been Baker Acted, escapes from a hospital or mental institution and commits harm to himself, herself or others, the facility from which he escaped may be responsible for the damages. For more information about this and other personal injury lawsuits, contact the seasoned professionals as Porter and Korvick law offices right now!