What You Should Know About Hotel Slip and Falls

 Posted on September 07, 2023 in Slip & Fall

Hotels are busy with lots of people coming and going. However, that is no excuse for hotel owners and managers not to remain vigilant in keeping their guests and visitors safe. 

You have the right to expect to be safe in a hotel, whether traveling for pleasure or business or simply visiting another guest on the property. Still, slip and fall accidents can happen anywhere. 

If you recently suffered an injury in a hotel slip and fall accident, you might wonder who is liable for your medical bills as well as lost wages if you cannot work for some time after your injury. The best way to find out is to schedule a consultation with a skilled Cook County slip and fall lawyer as soon as possible.

Liability for Hotel Falls

For the hotel to be liable for your slip and fall injuries, you must be able to establish negligence or unreasonable carelessness on the part of the hotel. The first thing your Cook County slip and fall attorney will want to determine is:

• Whether hotel staff or employees knew or should have known of the hazardous condition that caused your fall

• If they had the chance to correct it before your fall and subsequent injury

For example, suppose you slipped on a tile floor that was wet and slippery right after a rainstorm outside the hotel. In that case, the hotel might not be liable as they did not have sufficient time to mop or clean up the water after the storm before your slip and fall occurred. However, if the tile was still wet and slippery an hour after the storm finished, the hotel may be liable for your injuries and damages. 

Your attorney will also need to find out how much control the hotel or resort had over the situation. For instance, if you slipped because another guest spilled sunscreen on the floor, it could mean that the hotel is not liable unless the sunscreen had been on the floor for quite some time or employees walked by it, saw it, and ignored it.

Causes of Hotel Slip and Falls

Slip and fall accidents can happen nearly anywhere on hotel premises—both inside and outside. There are several factors associated with most hotel slip and fall claims, including:

• Lack of or faulty handrails, guardrails, and grab bars

• Lack of non-slip surfaces in bathrooms, showers, tubs, and on pool decks

• Uneven or poorly maintained staircase landings

• Poorly maintained lobbies, hallways, and pool decks

• Inadequate lighting 

• Poor parking lot maintenance and design, including wheel stops, curbs, speed bumps, sidewalks, and ramps

Contact an Experienced Chicago, Illinois Slip and Fall Attorney Today

After a slip and fall injury, there is a lot to do, and you may not even know where to start. You do not have to worry about all the stressful details after a slip and fall accident with an experienced Cook County slip and fall lawyer on your side. At Adler Law Offices, LTD, we offer free case consultations to slip and fall injury victims. Contact us online or at 312-236-2700 today to schedule yours.