Hotel & Motel Accidents
Hotels and motels promise a comfortable night’s stay at an affordable price. Unfortunately, many people end up injured, and they spend the night unexpectedly in the hospital. Whether you were staying at a national chain hotel or an independent motel, you can suffer serious accidents due to defective products and poor maintenance.
Please contact Karnas Law firm, PLLC, following a hotel/motel accident. We can analyze your accident to see if you can file a lawsuit, and if hired get to work on your case immediately. Below, we look at some of the most common hotel and motel accidents.
Swimming Pool & Hot Tub Accidents
Many hotels have pools and hot tubs, which they should maintain in a reasonably safe condition for their guests. Unfortunately, guests could be injured in a drowning or near-drowning accident by:
- Loose tiles which cause a guest to slip
- Lack of signage telling people whether they can use the pool
- Absence of lifeguards or security
- Failure to remove dangerous guests
- Too hot water in hot tubs
In a near drowning accident, a guest could suffer a serious anoxic brain injury because of reduced oxygen flow to the brain. As a result, they might suffer serious disabilities. Other guests might suffer burn injuries in a hot tub or head injuries in a fall.
Defective Products
Guests could be injured by:
- Defective hair dryers
- Bureaus that topple over and land on someone
- Furniture that collapses
- Beds that catch on fire
- Fire alarms which fail to notify guests of a fire
- Sprinkler systems that don’t work
Injuries range from burns and cuts to fractures and other traumatic injuries. You should contact an attorney quickly so that they can inspect the item. You don’t want the hotel or motel to quickly remove or fix the dangerous product that hurt you.
Food Poisoning
Some hotels have restaurants inside where guests can get a meal. Food poisoning typically results from improper preparation of food. Many bacteria can make a person almost immediately sick. Although food poisoning might not seem serious, the following germs can land someone in the hospital:
- E. coli.
- Salmonella
- Vibrio
- Staph food poisoning
- Norovirus
Some of the most common symptoms include fever, stomach pain, diarrhea, and vomiting. Symptoms might pass in a day, but some infections can cause serious problems for weeks and months.
Negligent Security
All hotels and motels should employ reasonable security for the safety of their guests. The amount and type of security will depend on the circumstances, but typically includes:
- Locks on doors, windows, and connecting doors
- Security cameras
- Fences or gates
- Lighted stairwells and hallways
- Front desk staff trained on how to respond to emergencies
- Prompt investigation of people loitering on the premises
Guests can be attacked by strangers, staff, or other guests in their rooms or in common areas. Some attacks also happen in parking lots.
Unfortunately, some hotels/motels fail to take their guest’s safety seriously. As an example, a guest might complain that a strange person is loitering on the property, but staff do not call the police or even investigate. If this person ends up attacking a guest, the hotel/motel could be liable for the attack.
Falls
Guests can fall in a variety of accidents:
- Slip and falls due to spilled liquids or mopped floors
- Trip and falls caused by uneven floors, cables, or debris
- Falls down stairwells due to defective stairs
- Falls off balconies because of missing guardrails or poor maintenance
A fall can lead to some of the worst injuries, such as concussions, back injuries, neck injuries, and paralysis. Some injuries are so serious that victims will never be able to walk again.
Can You Hold the Hotel or Motel Legally Responsible?
We will need to closely review the facts, but injured guests often have the right to sue. Because you are a paying customer, hotels must use reasonable care to protect the safety of those staying on the premises. Of course, no hotel can 100% guarantee that you won’t be injured. But they should fix problems they are aware of and regularly inspect the premises.
In some situations, you might also be able to sue other parties. For example, if a defective product blows up in your face, you might sue the manufacturer for a defect. A poorly designed clothes bureau could topple over and land on your child, and manufacturers should be responsible. You might sue them alone or in addition to the hotel/motel.
Contact Us
Karnas Law Firm believes in seeking fair compensation for accidents caused by negligent businesses. Please call us after an accident in a hotel or motel.