EP 29: When Hannibal Lecter is Your Patient

A violent criminal was pursued by police. Backed into a corner, the criminal killed the advancing canine unit and jumped from a building. He was severely injured in the fall and treated at a local hospital. There, the criminal became a patient. He was monitored by a female guard. He was left unrestrained and attempted to escape, stabbing the guard with a shank. The result? Lots of blood. And a negligence case. Really. 

Why was this patient not restrained? How much liability falls on the shoulders of the hospital? The patient (criminal)? The guard? This case is a fascinating, violent mess. Here's what doctors need to know...