Hotel Accidents Liability
Summer is high season for vacations and hotel stays. Although most hotels are well managed and inspected regularly, even the best hotels are susceptible to safety lapses that lead to accidents. Unfortunately for some guests, the most memorable part about their holiday is the injuries they received from a hotel accident.
Hotels have many areas that can present risks for their patrons. If you will be traveling this summer and have a hotel stay planned, be aware of the following common causes of hotel accidents.
- Slip and fall accidents can happen virtually anywhere on the hotel premises as smooth surfaces that have been cleaned may be slippery. Water can pool in front of entranceways during inclement weather and umbrellas and shoes can track water inside, creating unsafe surfaces. Parking lots, as well as sidewalks and stairwells should be properly lit and maintained to reduce the risk of slip and falls. Uneven surfaces from carpeting to tile can cause trip and falls as well.
- Pool accidents are common in hotels as the surfaces directly around the pool should be textured to prevent slip and falls where puddles form. Pool steps should be properly marked to avoid accidents. Because of the concrete construction materials, pool accidents often result in serious head injuries and broken bones. A head injury that occurs within the pool can even lead to accidental drowning.
- Hotels should provide good security to protect their guests. Tourists are often easy targets for criminals and the objects of assault to steal cash, passports, and jewelry.
- Broken furniture can injure guests at a hotel due to wear and tear on surfaces. Some hotels save money by doing in house repairs instead of buying new furniture, meaning that the furniture can break down while a guest is using it.
- Burns can occur when guests use irons or tea kettles where the automatic power button is not in order. The hot water thermostat should be set to prevent scalding bath water from causing burn injuries.
Premises Liability Law
Under premises liability laws, a hotel is obligated to maintain a safe environment. The hotel is required to not only keep their premises safe, but to prevent accidents wherever possible. If an accident happens on hotel premises that was reasonably foreseeable and could have been prevented, the hotel can be held liable for injuries resulting from the accident.
Hotel premises, as defined by the court, include the hotel shuttle bus and parking lot, as well as everything inside the hotel, from meeting and banquet rooms, to private rooms and swimming pools.
If you are injured at a hotel, you should immediately report the accident to hotel management and carefully document evidence of your injury. Take photos and get contact information and written accounts of the accident from any witnesses. Keep all receipts and documents from any medical treatment you receive as you will need them later to pursue compensation for your injuries.
New Jersey Premises Liability Lawyers at Eichen Crutchlow Zaslow, LLP Fight for Injured Victims of Hotel Accidents
If you have been injured in a hotel accident, let the experienced New Jersey premises liability lawyers at Eichen Crutchlow Zaslow, LLP fight for the compensation for your injuries that you deserve. For a free consultation call us at 732-777-0100 or contact us online.
Eichen Crutchlow Zaslow, LLP has purposely remained small in size, because it is important to us that we get to know our clients and their needs. Larger NJ injury firms may churn out case after case, but that’s not how we operate. Partners Barry Eichen, William Crutchlow, and Daryl Zaslow have created a firm with the resources to handle complex litigation, and a team that takes your case personally.
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