In South Florida, there are accidents that happen every day in hotels and resorts. Some of these accidents are out of one's control. However, many of these accidents are preventable if standard precautions are taken and common sense is used. The hotel operators and owners of the property have an obligation to keep the property well-maintained, clean, and safe for their guests. It is expected that hotels and resorts provide a reasonable level of protection for all of their guests. Resorts and hotels are responsible for keeping their employees, visitors, and guests safe. Hotel and resort accident lawyers in South Florida can help you and your family when a hotel violates its duty of care and fails to protect its guests and visitors. The victim of a hotel accident should notify the hotel manager of the accident and any injuries as soon as possible. Regardless of what kind of accident occurred, the fact remains that organizations that provide services such as accommodations are required to adhere to Florida premises liability laws in order to protect against accidents that may result in injuries, losses, or property damage. In this article we discuss the following:
A hotel usually offers a range of amenities designed to make you feel more relaxed during your stay. A few of the amenities may include spas, swimming pools, gyms, bars, and restaurants. Accessibility should also be a priority. Most hotels, therefore, have stairways, elevators, escalators, and other necessities. Among the most common hotel accidents that result in lawsuits include:
There are a number of things that can contribute to a slip and fall accident in a hotel room, hallway, lobby, or other high-traffic areas, such as ripped carpets, wobbly handrails, uneven stairways, slippery floors, fractured mirrors, and broken chairs.
Many hotel guests have been injured while using a hotel's pool. While alcohol often plays a role in these kinds of accidents, even sober guests can suffer injuries at the pool. Pool-related accidents can also be caused by faulty lounge chairs, loose pool tiles, wobbly handrails, a lack of depth indicators, and many other factors.
It is the responsibility of hotels to maintain their property. Hotel properties receive so many people every day, so cleanliness and housekeeping must be meticulous. The same applies to the preparation, serving, and clearing of food. The most common kinds of accidents that occur when hotel or housekeeping workers fail to do their job include bed bug outbreaks and food poisoning.
A frequent cause of escalator and elevator accidents in hotels is inadequate maintenance. It is common for elderly and small children to be injured in these kinds of accidents.
In Florida, public lodging establishments must take effective measures to prevent any vermin, including bed bugs, from entering and breeding on the premises (Florida Statute 509.221) . An infested room in such a building must be fumigated, disinfected, renovated, or another corrective measure taken to exterminate the bed bugs. Bed bug bite victims often receive compensation.
A guest could be electrocuted due to faulty wiring and out-of-date appliances.
Different causes lead to burns. In hotels, electrical burns can result in life-threatening injuries. Even hot showers can scald hotel guests. If the hotel is shown to have failed in its duty of care, then they can be held liable for burn injuries. It is possible to demonstrate premises liability by failing to maintain hot water heaters properly, repairing electrical cords or outlets, or neglecting proper pool maintenance.
In addition to the usual amenities, hotels typically offer a number of services, such as massages, jet ski rentals, personal grooming salons, daycare centers, retail shopping, restaurants, and recreational facilities. Most guests are unaware that these services are provided by third-party vendors and not by the hotel. A third-party vendor's negligence does not absolve the hotel of any responsibility when a guest is injured. When a victim files a claim, the hotel will assume liability. Hotels that are insured against negligence claims are advised by insurance companies to implement contracts for risk transfer. As part of such a program, the hotel ensures that it only works with reputable suppliers and vendors.
Criminals may find Florida hotels very tempting spots in which to prey upon tourists and business visitors for crimes like robbery, burglary, or rape. Sometimes, festive atmospheres in bars, lounges, or private party rooms sour as emotions run high and fist-fights erupt (or other violence). When crimes occur, criminals will be investigated and charged by law enforcement. Hotels are aware that they can attract criminals and are legally bound to fight crime on their property. Things like security guards, hotel room locks, security cameras, and proper lighting of hallways, garages, etc., are all steps that responsible hotels take to keep people safe from theft, assault, and other crimes. When crimes do happen on hotel property, a crime victim may be able to recover compensation for their injuries. Florida hotel negligence laws provide the hotel crime victim with monetary damages (pain and suffering, lost wages, medical expenses and more) for the harm they have suffered in the criminal act. If the hotel failed in its duty of care, that crime victim may have a claim based upon premises liability.
If you have been involved in any kind of accident, you must remain calm. By staying calm after an accident, you avoid being injured further. Your next step would be to look for injuries and speak with the hotel manager to file a report. If you have any obvious injuries such as a laceration or burn, or if you are experiencing pain, inform the manager that you need immediate medical attention. You should take pictures or videos of your visible injuries, as well as the location where the accident occurred. If a guest trips over a torn carpet, pictures of the torn rug and any visible cuts or bruises should be taken after the accident. You may be entitled to compensation if you are injured or harmed in any way by the hotel's negligence. Make sure you follow these steps to recover the compensation:
The most important thing you can do if you are injured in a Florida hotel accident is hire an experienced personal injury attorney who can investigate your incident and determine who is liable. Hotel management is often found to be at fault for Florida hotel accidents. A premises liability claim will most likely be filed against hotel management or staff if they were aware or should have known about the unsafe condition, did not fix it promptly, and you were injured as a result of it. On the other hand, in some other accidents, such as elevator accidents or injuries from defective gym equipment, your attorney may determine that a negligent product manufacturer or designer is responsible for your injuries, in which case we would file a products liability claim.
It is important to hire an attorney who can accurately determine which party is responsible for your injuries and fight for the compensation you need. Additionally, when it comes to personal injury claims, there is a statute of limitations. According to Florida law, the statute of limitations is four years, which means that you typically have four years following your accident to sue the responsible party.
The Florida legislature passed Chapter 509 of the Florida Statutes to ensure that hotels exercise special precautions to protect their guests in the course of conducting business. In accordance with these laws, hotels must take precautions to prevent people from getting hurt in slip and fall accidents, and in other accidents, such as drownings from unattended swimming pools and crimes such as robberies, assaults, and rape. In order to increase revenues, hotels choose to ignore the dangers all too often, and that is when accidents occur. The Florida Statute 768.0755 is frequently used to support hotel slip and fall claims, which is why we recommend reading our earlier post on the burden of proof for an accident victim.
If you've been involved in an accident or harmed while staying at a hotel or resort in Florida, contact DOCS4PI personal injury services. We can match you with medical professionals who can properly treat your injuries. They can also refer you to their network of personal injury attorneys if you need legal representation.
If you feel you were injured in an auto accident or another accident, #1-888-DOCS4PI can put you in touch with people who can provide sound help. Our service to find qualified assistance you need is a quick three-step process.
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Upon calling #1-888-DOCS4PI, our intake coordinator will ask you a series of basic questions about your issue and the injuries you suffered as a result. This information will help us match you up with someone who has the background that fits your situation.
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