Most of us don’t expect to go on vacation and end up in a hospital. Even if you’re staying at a hotel for business as opposed to pleasure, you don’t think you’re going to get hurt. However, there are hundreds of hotel accidents every year. Whether you slip and fall or get hurt by the valet, there is all sort of ways you can get hurt.
Hotel injuries fall under something called premises liability. Hotel owners are required to offer their guests a safe place to stay. This extends to the building, the grounds and the pool areas. You should be able to presume that the hotel you’re staying at is safe. The owners and management are expected to maintain the premises in a safe condition. When they don’t do this, people get hurt.
You’ve got to remember. When you stay at a hotel, you are their guest. They should keep you just as safe as you would be in your own home. When they fail to do this, they are guilty of negligence. Negligence is the law that covers premises liability. Your Houston personal injury attorney understands how negligence law works in Texas.
Your Texas Personal Injury Lawyer Will File a Claim for Negligence
In order to recover in a claim for negligence, you will have to prove a few things. The four elements of a basic negligence case are as follows:
- The defendant owes you a duty of care – In hotel injury cases, the hotel owners and managers owe you a duty to keep the premises safe. They’re required to keep their rooms and hallways clean and free of debris. They need to make basic and necessary repairs so people don’t get hurt. Their employees need to work in a safe manner so they don’t injury hotel guests.
- The defendant breached this duty – The hotel managers failed to keep their hotel safe. Either they failed to make necessary repairs or they created unsafe conditions. This could be anything from an unsanitary pool to broken hotel gym equipment.
- You were injured – You have to actually suffer an injury in order to sue the hotel. You can’t sue them for a near miss. For example, if you almost fell down the stairs but caught yourself, you wouldn’t file a negligence claim against the hotel. Nor would you sue them because you saw a wall in a state of disrepair. You have to be harmed in order to successfully sue a hotel.
- Your injury must be caused by the breach – Your Texas personal injury lawyer needs to prove that your injury was caused by the defendant. If the defendant can prove that your injuries were caused by something else, they won’t be held liable. For example, if you get hurt at a water park close to the hotel, you can’t then sue the hotel for having an unsafe pool. You do need to submit evidence proving causation.
If you prove all four elements of a negligence case, you will receive compensatory damages from the defendant.
Personal Injury Attorneys in Houston Handle Hotel Accidents Claims
Although they’re not the most common type of cases, personal injury attorneys in Houston do handle hotel accidents cases. A lot of people go to Houston for both vacation and business. They often stay in hotels when they visit. A lot of their time is spent in the hotel. They sleep there, eat there and sometimes swim there. A lot of people even use the gym and spa facilities at a hotel. An injury can take place anywhere in the hotel.
Some of the most common types of hotel accidents and injuries include:
- Wet floors
- Broken stairs and railings
- Unsafe pools
- Furniture accidents
- Bed bugs
- Criminal attacks that take place on the hotel premises
- Elevator accidents
- Shower falls
In general, most hotels work hard to provide their guests with a safe and enjoyable stay. They offer free breakfast and special amenities to make sure their guests have a pleasant time. Sometimes, however, accidents happen. Even the most efficient hotel managers make mistakes. Sometimes, other hotel guests or employees create unsafe conditions. The hotel is responsible for injuries that result from these unsafe conditions.
Contact a Personal Injury Attorney in Houston, Texas
If you’ve been injured in a hotel accident, you need to contact a personal injury attorney in Houston, Texas. Your attorney will be working hard to get you the compensation you deserve.
Some of the damages your attorney will demand are:
- Medical bills
- Lost wages
- Pain and suffering
Texas is a state where you are allowed to demand emotional pain and suffering. Your personal injury attorney will work hard to get you every penny you deserve. Call McDonald Worley and schedule your initial consultation today. It is free and you pay nothing unless you win your case!