Overview

• The court ruled that statutory accident insurance covers only hospital-specific risks directly connected to treatment, excluding routine bathroom visits.
• Coverage could apply to accidents caused by structural deficiencies or missing patient safety measures in hospital facilities.
• The 69-year-old plaintiff fractured her arm and shoulder after falling from the toilet while recovering from a stroke that left her partially paralyzed.
• The Administrative Professional Association and two lower courts had denied her claim on grounds that toilet use falls under the uninsured private sphere.
• The case has been sent back to the Berlin-Brandenburg State Social Court to examine whether the hospital bathroom complied with building regulations and safety requirements.