Whether you’re on vacation at a top resort hotel or a business traveler staying in economy accommodations, you likely aren’t expecting to get injured while there. Regardless of the type of hotel, the hotel management and staff have a duty of care to ensure that every guest is safe while on the premises.
When you get hurt at a hotel, you may be able to sue a hotel for negligence. Here are the top reasons to sue a hotel.
Dangerous Surfaces
Hotels must protect guests from preventable injuries, particularly in high-risk areas. They often focus on swimming pools, hotel bathrooms, and fitness centers to prevent injuries in these places.
However, slippery floors, cracks, or obstacles that aren’t clearly marked can lead to serious injury, even in high-traffic areas. You could also suffer an injury on area rugs, ripped carpeting, or where a recent spill occurred. A hotel’s litigation team will try to argue that you should have been watching where you’re going. It’s also just as reasonable to assume that you should be able to walk around the premises without fear of injury.
Burns
When you use self-serve coffee, you probably expect it to be hot but not so hot that it can leave you with disfiguring burns. The same is true for the water from your bathroom sink. Hotel management is responsible for making sure you are safe in these situations.
Broken or Faulty Equipment
If you sit on a broken chair and get hurt, you could sue the hotel. It stands to reason that they should know about this danger. All furniture and equipment on the property should be regularly inspected and removed or repaired if it is damaged or broken.
Criminal Acts
While theft and assault aren’t necessarily the hotel’s fault, they still could be liable. Hotels should have security measures to prevent criminal activity on the premises. If you were sexually assaulted, robbed, or attacked, the hotel should have taken measures to prevent them from occurring to keep you safe.
Illnesses
You may dine at the hotel’s restaurants or order room service. You expect a decent meal, but if you get food poisoning, you may be able to sue. Additionally, if bed bugs or mold have irritated your skin or led to your having breathing problems, the hotel should cover your medical care.
Why You’ll Want a Lawyer to Help You Sue a Hotel
Even though hotels are legally obligated to keep you safe on the premises, it can be tough to prove they are liable without a lawyer. Perhaps you had some wine with your dinner on the night in question, and the hotel argues that you got hurt because you were intoxicated.
It may repair the faulty area that caused your injury before you have a chance to obtain evidence or claim that the hazard had clear warning signs. Whatever the case, they will be protecting their bottom line. With a lawyer, you can protect yours and have someone to handle your lawsuit while you heal from your injuries.
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