Hotel Accidents Attorney for Fort Lauderdale, FL
As a haven for tourists, Florida has a wide selection of hotels, vacation rentals, and other holiday lodgings available to guests, all of whom have a right to safety. Unfortunately, far too many never leave the same. A simple stay can be life-threatening one, as hotel accidents can be dangerous and are extremely common. If injured by your accommodations, it is likely someone is responsible.
The hospitality industry is a complex, highly regulated one. Hotels and other guest lodgings must comply with state and federal regulations governing public safety. There should be no torn carpets to trip over, no broken stairways or escalators, no dark corridors, and certainly no electrical hazards about. If a hotel knows of a problem and does not fix it, the law holds it liable for resulting deaths and injuries.
Legal Protection for Hotel Accident Victims in Florida
Hotel accidents range in severity, from slipping on wet floors to plugging into malfunctioning electrical points or plunging several feet through a broken staircase. Injuries can be severe, and when they are, victims face mounting debt, emotional distress, changes in family dynamics, loss of income, incapability of working, and exorbitant medical bills. Consequences can be dramatic and life changing.
Guests are not the only ones in danger. Victims frequently include employees and contractors, and the hotel industry is notorious for workplace accidents. According to a report by Cornell University , slips and falls are the most common incidents for workers and guests alike. These companies have a legal duty to ensure the safety of everyone on their premises, and failure to do so is legally negligent.
Victims are entitled to compensation for their injuries. Damages include medical bills, lost wages and associated costs. If severe enough, they have a right to punitive damages too, such as pain and suffering. However, most hotels and accommodations in Florida have extensive legal teams and insurance experts already in their employ to help them escape liability. Fighting them can be extremely overwhelming.
Negligent Causes of Most Hotel Accidents
You have the right to walk through a hospitality venue without injury. Proprietors must provide adequate security and lighting. They need to conduct frequent maintenance on all walkways, steps, furniture, railings, and more. Spills must disappear quickly and there should be no risk of pests or food poisoning. Any of these scenarios are immediate cause for hotel liability:
Lack of Warning
If there is a problem and the hotel has yet to fix it, there must be a sign warning everyone of it. It must be impossible not to notice and describe the danger clearly. Failure to warn is outright negligence, and the most famous example is a wet floor. Regardless of the issue, there must be notice of it and a safer alternative for guests to use.
Inadequate Lighting
At the very least, hotel guests and employees have the right to see where they are going. Broken headlights and dimly lit corridors are inviting injury. For most, navigating unfamiliar places in the dark is outright dangerous, and then there are reckless workers who leave equipment and debris lying about. Proprietors must install sufficient lighting throughout their premises and fix issues as they arise.
Poor Maintenance
Maintenance is the basic law of all public safety regulations. Property owners must maintain their buildings, electrical systems, water infrastructures, cleaning practices, carpet replacements and anything that could potentially pose a safety risk. Not noticing a hazard indicates terrible maintenance oversight and not fixing it quickly, according to legal standards, proves negligent non-compliance.
Inefficient Cleaning Habits
Accommodations must be clean and free of spills, debris, and other tripping or slipping hazards. A cleaning team should mop spills as they happen, not leave them to injure people. Slips and falls are a leading cause of emergency room visits in the United States, and a large number occur in the hospitality industry, including hotels, casinos, and restaurants.
Role of a Hotel Accident Lawyer in Florida
Proving premises liability can be a challenge. Most hotels belong to large corporate companies with the means to hire the best legal teams. Despite having insurance coverage specifically for accidents, they are never willing to pay. Adjusters and experienced lawyers will try to discredit your claim, and you need irrefutable evidence to prove the extent of your injuries and their cause.
A personal injury attorney can investigate the incident, gather the right proof, contact witnesses, and help you fight for the maximum compensation available under law. If the negligence of someone in the hotel industry harms you or a loved one, there could be several defendants. An experienced lawyer can protect your rights while you recover. Call today to schedule a free initial consultation.