Staying at a hotel while on business or vacation in Norfolk can be convenient and enjoyable—unless you sustain serious injuries in a premises liability accident at the hotel. Managers and their staff have a duty to keep the hotel safe for guests, correct dangerous conditions that they know about, and warn their patrons of hazards that they cannot immediately rectify.
Unfortunately, not all hotel owners and managers take these duties seriously enough. Some of the common ways that their negligence results in premises liability accidents and injuries include the following:
Slip and Fall Accidents
Worn carpeting, uneven floors, spilled food and drinks, and icy entranceways are a few of the dangerous conditions that can cause guests to injure themselves in a slip and fall accident. Hotel staff have a duty to regularly inspect the hotel to discover these hazards and take prompt steps to fix any problems.
Broken Furniture
To save money, hotels sometimes continue to use or make repairs to furniture that breaks during use or due to normal wear and tear. Unsuspecting individuals can sustain broken bones, traumatic brain injuries, and back and spinal injuries if a chair breaks while they are using it.
Swimming Pools
While hotels are not required to have a lifeguard at their swimming pool, they do have a duty to post warning signs and keep the pool, jacuzzi, and locker rooms clean, in good working order, and free of hazards. When these duties are breached, a patron can suffer life-altering injuries or death in a fall or a drowning.
Food Poisoning
Many hotels offer food at their restaurants or through room service. When sanitary conditions are not maintained by restaurant staff, or unsafe food is served, a guest could become ill with a foodborne illness.
Bed Bugs
Bed bugs can infest mattresses, furniture, and pillows in guest rooms, and their bites can cause infections and allergic reactions. Even worse, guests can carry the bed bugs home on their clothes and luggage and infest their homes.
Inadequate Security and Lighting
Guests can be the victims of theft, sexual assault, or other criminal activity while staying at a hotel. The hotel owner can be held responsible if there was inadequate security, lighting, or defective locks that allowed unauthorized persons to gain access to the property.
Legal Rights to Compensation for Your Injuries
In Virginia, you are entitled to be compensated for your medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering if you prove that the hotel’s negligence was the cause of your premises liability accident. The experienced premises liability attorneys at Tavss Fletcher can assist you in collecting the evidence you need to hold the hotel accountable and fight for the compensation that you deserve. Call our Norfolk office today to schedule a free case evaluation to learn more about your legal options.
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