Maryland is home to many conferences and has a growing tourism industry. Thousands of people stay at hotels in Maryland each year, and if even a small fraction of these guests face injuries while staying at the hotel, the hotel should be held responsible for the damages their negligence caused.
The Maryland hotel injury lawyers at Rice, Murtha & Psoras represent injury victims in accidents at hotels, including slip and falls and other accidents that the hotel staff should have prevented. If you or a loved one was injured at a hotel in Maryland, call our law offices today to set up a free legal consultation on your potential case. Our number is (410) 694-7291.
Common Hotel Accidents in Maryland
Hotels are large properties with many areas that guests and customers usually spend time. From guest rooms to restaurants to indoor and outdoor pools – or even the lobby – hotels have a lot of property to cover. Still, the owners, administrators, and staff members at hotels are responsible for ensuring the safety of guests who come to the premises, and their mistakes can cause many types of accidents and injuries.
One of the most common types of accidents people face in hotels and other locations is slip and fall accidents. Floors can become slippery after rain, after cleaning, when guests track snow inside, or if the area is located near a pool. Hotels have an obligation to warn guests about wet and slippery floors, and they should post signs and quickly clean up spills and puddles to avoid injuries. Other slip and fall injuries could occur in restaurants, restrooms, and other areas where spills are common.
Aside from slip and falls, other injuries due to defects or dangers on the property are also common. Loose wires and cables could cause tripping hazards if they are not properly taped down and highlighted as dangers. This kind of hazard is especially common at hotels or conference centers where temporary stages and audio-visual equipment are set up, and it is the hotel’s responsibility to ensure that the premises are safe for guests to walk through. Other premises liability injuries could occur from electrocution from exposed wiring, drowning in unsupervised pools, burns from various fire hazards, or falls from collapsing railings.
Although rare, injuries from hotel staff are also possible. If a staff member assaults a guest, this is wholly unacceptable, and the staff member may be responsible for the injuries the victim sustained. the same is true in vehicle accidents involving hotel staff members driving as part of their job duties. This could involve car and truck accidents, as well as accidents with golf carts or other vehicles. In many cases, the hotel may cover this kind of on-the-job liability.
Other injuries from dangers or unsanitary conditions in your hotel room could also allow you to sue the hotel.
Suing a Hotel for Injuries in Maryland
If you faced injuries while staying at a hotel in Maryland, the hotel itself may be held responsible for the injuries you faced. While the hotel staff may be directly responsible for causing your injuries, the law typically allows you to sue their employer for damages.
To hold the hotel responsible for its staff’s mistakes, you must show that the negligence occurred within the scope of the employee’s duties at work and in furtherance of that job. For instance, a janitor who fails to put out a warning sign while mopping or a hotel bar worker who fails to clean up broken glass could each be considered within the scope and course of their duties when that negligence occurred. In addition to proving this element, you must prove that the actor’s mistakes were “negligent” and that they caused your injuries.
To prove negligence, you must prove that the actor owed you a duty and breached that duty by failing to use the proper care or skill necessary. As a guest at the hotel, the hotel generally owes you a duty to keep your surroundings safe and prevent injuries. Some accidents are unavoidable, but anything within their control should be properly maintained to keep you safe. If they fail to do so, you can sue them for any injuries they caused.
Proving that their negligence caused your injuries is often simple enough. If there were no intervening causes of injury that would break the hotel’s liability, they can be held responsible for directly causing your injuries or allowing the injury to happen through their inaction. If there are other negligent parties involved, such as other guests, you may be able to sue multiple parties for your injuries.
Damages for Hotel Injuries
Lastly, to get the compensation you need for your injuries, you will need to prove what injuries and harms you suffered. Typically, injury cases involve damages for medical expenses stemming from the accident, lost wages if the injury caused you to miss work, and damages for pain and suffering. Especially severe injuries may justify higher damages, but any harm you suffered should be compensated, even slight harms or minor injuries.
Talk to an attorney about what your case might be worth. Hotels, their insurance companies, and their legal teams are hired to quickly deal with lawsuits and reduce the cost of these lawsuits. These parties do not represent your interests, and it is important to work with a lawyer who can advocate for your rights, argue for reasonable damages, and protect your case from low settlements.
Call Our Maryland Hotel Injury Lawyers for a Free Legal Consultation
If you stayed at a hotel in Maryland and you or a loved one suffered injuries during your stay, contact Rice, Murtha & Psoras today. Our Maryland hotel injury attorneys represent injury victims and work to get them justice and financial compensation for their injuries. For a free, confidential legal consultation on your case, call our law offices today at (410) 694-7291.