HOTEL GUEST INJURY CLAIMS: WHAT TO KNOW
When you stay at a hotel, you expect to be treated with respect and have an overall pleasant experience. Unfortunately, accidents happen and you may end up getting injured at a hotel. While about 52% of personal injury lawsuits are filed because of automobile accidents, hotel injuries may warrant a personal injury claim as well. So if you've been injured at a hotel, here are a few important considerations to make before filing a claim.
COMMON CAUSES OF INJURIES AT HOTELS
Just like at any other public place, there are a lot of ways people can be injured at hotels. Some of the most common accidents seen in hotels are slip and falls. If hotels leave wet floors without proper warnings or have uneven floorings like cracked floors or loose carpet, guests may end up injured. Additionally, broken furniture or unmaintained areas could result in injuries. If a hotel has a swimming pool, it needs to have proper signage and needs to be well maintained. When hotels fail to maintain the pool area and a guest gets injured, they could face a personal injury claim. And lastly, food poisoning may be the reasoning behind a liability claim -- hotels are required to follow proper food safety protocols to ensure their guests are eating safe food. Overall, there are numerous ways hotel guests could end up getting sick or injured during their stay. If an injury does occur, guests should hire an attorney to help build their case.
WHO IS AT FAULT?
Like all other personal injury claims, hotel guests need substantial evidence to support their claim. Hotels are required by law to inspect the property, maintain safety precautions, and provide reasonable standards of care to all guests. If the hotel fails to do so, they may be at fault for an injury or illness. The best bet for hotel guests filing claims is to hire an attorney. An accident attorney will be able to gather the necessary evidence. By proving that the hotel staff failed to repair unsafe items, maintain safety features like lighting and locks, or any other safety responsibility, then they may be at fault for an injury. If you happen to just fall off the bed or trip over your own feet, then the hotel is probably not going to be seen as responsible for your injury. But if hotel staff failed to prevent a foreseeable accident, you could receive compensation for your injuries.
If you're ever injured at a hotel, you should always hire an attorney. Experienced lawyers will be able to guide you through the process of filing a personal injury claim and provide the best chance at receiving compensation.