3 Common Hotel Slip and Fall Injuries
Whether you’re in a hotel for pleasure or for business, there are multiple ways you can injure yourself by falling due to negligence and require the services of an experienced slip and fall lawyer. Here are some of the most common hotel slip and fall accidents:
1. Slipping on the Ice
Some hotels often have long, landscaped walkways. If you are visiting in cold weather, snow and ice may make the walkways dangerous. You can sprain an ankle, break a leg, or even suffer a concussion due to slipping on the ice.
2. Slipping Near a Jacuzzi
Jacuzzis are one of the great perks of hotels. But areas proximate to and around Jacuzzis (as well as swimming pools) can be wet and slippery. You could slip and fall as a result of the wetness.
3. Falling in the Hallway
If a hotel’s carpet is torn, you could slip and fall, especially if the torn area is sticking up and acts as an impediment to people walking over it.
Is the Hotel Liable?
Is a hotel liable for your injuries when you slip and fall on their premises?
The law here is clear. Hotels are businesses, and all businesses have a duty of care to those who frequent them or might be on their premises for any reason. As part of the duty of care, they must inspect their facilities and property regularly to make sure that the premises is in safe condition. If the hallway or other carpet is torn, is could be dangerous and needs to be replaced.
In addition, they must make sure that any suddenly occurring conditions that could make their premises or property dangerous to patrons are made safe. So if snow or ice occurs, it must be cleared from walkways promptly. If a hotel employee spills a drink while serving, the liquid must be cleaned up promptly so that patrons don’t slip in the liquid.
In a premises liability case, a court will examine whether the hotel knew or reasonably should have known about an unsafe condition. Then they will examine whether the hotel made the unsafe condition safe as soon as they knew about it. These are the two establishing conditions for premises liability.
The hotel can argue that they couldn’t reasonably have known that a condition was unsafe, or that they didn’t have time to rectify an unsafe condition.
If a hotel guest leaves a pair of Crocs near a Jacuzzi, for example, and the next guest trips over them, the hotel might not be found liable, because they could not have reasonably known that the Crocs were there.
If walkways were not icy at 10 a.m. and a slip and fall occurs at 10:20 a.m., the hotel could argue that they didn’t have sufficient time to realize that the conditions had changed and become icy.
Hotel slip and fall lawyers in Los Angeles
The Ellis Law Firm aggressively fights for victims of hotel slip and fall accidents. Our seasoned Los Angeles slip and fall attorneys fight for maximum compensation for our injured clients.
If you or a loved one has been hurt after tripping and falling in a hotel or any other establishment, please contact us today at the number above. Our initial consultation is free, and we charge you NO fee unless we win money for you!
Additional “Hotel slip and fall injury” resources:
- Becker, Tara. “Slip-and-fall verdict awards Texas woman $4.9 million.” Quad City Times. March 11, 2018. http://qctimes.com/news/local/follow-up-file-slip-and-fall-verdict-awards-texas-woman/article_996dcc77-2263-59ae-996f-9f4c7d515aa4.html
- Morris, Karen. “Lawsuit doesn’t always mean a hotel is at fault.” Hotel Management. September 18, 2017. https://www.hotelmanagement.net/operate/lawsuit-doesn-t-always-mean-a-hotel-at-fault