Hotels experience numerous slip and falls on wet or slippery floors. There are several busy restaurants where food and drink is often left on the floor too long and customers without prior warning slip on the wet floor causing serious injury. Additionally, hotel entrances should be kept dry in times of rain so that visitors do not slip on a wet floor.
Hotels are required to keep their premises safe for guests to use without fear of slipping and injuring themselves. If this has happened to you and you know the accident was not your fault you may be entitled to file a personal injury claim to cover the financial hardship caused by the slip on a wet floor.
Mopped Floor Accidents
Many hundreds of thousands of people stay at hotels worldwide every day. Accidents are uncommon but do happen from time to time. One of the most common accidents is slipping and falling on recently mopped and cleaned or waxed floors.
Many of the hotels’ floors are cleaned regularly and while still wet can be a hazard unless the area is cordoned off or at least a warning notice posted. The best option is to prevent guests from using an area of floor that is still wet or slippery.
This is easy to do by either erecting a physical barrier or posting several ‘no entrance’ warning signs. At the very least the area should be marked by the familiar yellow warning signs showing that it has been recently cleaned and could be dangerously slippery.
When hotel employees fail to prevent accidents of this type, it is considered to be an example of hotel management negligence. Managers are employed to make sure their staff members are fully trained about guest safety and what they should do to avoid mopped floor slip and fall accidents.
In reality, this is not always successful as accidents do happen.
When a guest is injured after slipping over on an unmarked wet floor s/he has the right to sue the hotel management or the company itself to recover damages. Proof of negligence must be demonstrated.
Lack of warning signs or no effort to prevent entry to a recently mopped surface is sufficient proof of negligence on the part of the staff and management at a hotel. To back up the claim evidence from eye witnesses and video camera footage may be helpful too.
How a Slip and Fall Accident Could Occur
It is not difficult to imagine a busy hotel forgetting to send staff to check on the presence of wet floors. If this happens, there could be hazards like spilt food and drink on the floor or the presence of wet, slippery surfaces caused on a rainy day by customers vigorously shaking their umbrellas as they enter the hotel leaving dangerously slippery puddles waiting for another customer to slip on.
When this happens, the victim may seriously injure his/her back if the fall is backwards or a serious head injury could result if the fall is forwards. Either way, if this has happened to you it may be possible to file a PI claim to cover the cost of medical treatment and loss of wages while you recover. You may also expect to receive an additional amount for your pain and suffering.
Filing a Personal Injury Claim Against a Hotel
First of all you will need evidence showing the slip on a wet floor accident was not your fault. This should include the following:
- photographs showing the accident scene;
- witnesses’ accounts of the accident taking place;
- CCTV footage, if available, showing the action;
- an injury report from your physician;
- receipts for medical treatment;
- a letter from your employer showing your weekly earnings.
As soon as you have the evidence you should check the statute of limitations for your state. You have to file your PI claim within this time, which is typically up to 3 years. At this point, you should contact a personal injury lawyer to guide you through the PI claim process.
It’s Advisable to Use a Personal Injury Lawyer
Marriott International, like any other huge hotel chain, is a huge organization and has massive legal resources which it can use to combat claims made against it due to cases of negligence after an injury anywhere on its property.
Most hotels are sensitive to determined legal action against it and you are more likely to win your personal injury claim after a slip and fall accident if you hire an experienced personal injury lawyer to fight your case.
Sometimes there is the possibility that the insurer is not convinced the injury occurred on their premises.
You will find that the vast majority of personal injury lawyers work on a contingency fee arrangement. Initial consultations to discuss a case are almost always free and if the lawyer believes that you have a good chance of winning a claim will defer all legal costs until a settlement is achieved.
A personal injury lawyer has the experience to file a PI claim on your behalf and win the best settlement possible. Without this help you could find that the insurer only offers you a token amount that does not cover your financial hardship. To get started, complete the Free Case Evaluation today!
*Disclaimer: The content of this article serves only to provide information and should not be construed as legal advice. If you file a claim against the Marriott, or any other party, you may not be entitled to any compensation.
