Florida is a popular destination for vacations and business trips. In 2017, Tampa Bay totaled $670 million in hotel revenue. We expect that the hundreds of hotels in the area are a safe environment to spend a night or a convenient place to hold a conference, a meeting, or a special event. However, just like on any other type of property, accidents do happen, and the consequences can be serious.
Common Types of Hotel Accidents
Hotels often have a large staff of employees, and it is essential that all staff are appropriately trained to be vigilant at all times. Accidents in hotels can happen in a variety of ways. Hotels should be concerned about:
- Slip and falls in the common areas of the hotel or in a hotel room
- Inadequate lighting
- Defective appliances
- Hot tub or swimming pool accidents including possible drowning
- Hotel fires
- Hotel shuttle bus accidents
- Defective, broken, and unsafe gym equipment
- Broken locks on hotels doors leading to assaults and robberies
- Accidents on hotel staircases
- Elevator or escalator accidents
- Amusement park accidents
While hotels are not liable for every accident that occurs on their property, they are legally liable in certain situations.
When is a Hotel Liable for an Accident?
Under premises liability law, a hotel guest is considered an invitee. This means that because guests are invited onto the hotel’s property, guests are owed a high duty of care. This would include to inspect and maintain all parts of their property in a reasonably safe condition. Hotels must repair any unsafe conditions immediately or warn guests of any potential dangers otherwise they will end up facing hotel slip and fall settlement cases from injured guests.
To receive compensation for an injury that occurs at a hotel, it must be proven that the injury was the direct result of the hotel’s negligence. It also must be proven that the hotel was aware or should have been aware of the dangerous condition and failed to repair it or warn guests. Even if you live outside of Florida and were injured at a hotel while on vacation or here for business, you still have the same right to file a lawsuit in this state.
Contact a Trusted Personal Injury Attorney
If you’ve been injured in an accident at a hotel, you should have an experienced personal injury attorney evaluate your case. Contact the trusted lawyers at Abrahamson & Uiterwyk online or call us at 1-800-538-4878 to schedule your free consultation.