Tampa Hotel Premises Liability Lawyer
Millions of people stay in Central Florida hotels each year. As commercial establishments offering lodging and other services to the public, hotels have a duty under state law to keep their premises in reasonably safe condition for their guests and other members of the public lawfully on the property. When a hotel ignores this duty and someone is injured as a result, the victims have the right to seek compensation for their medical bills and other accident-related losses.
The Tampa hotel premises liability lawyer at Anderson & Anderson can advise you of your rights in these situations. We are Florida personal injury attorneys with over 35 years experience in helping accident victims fight for their right to compensation following a preventable accident in a hotel. You have the right to expect a safe environment when you check-in to a hotel–and the right to be paid if the hotel fails to live up to that obligation.
How Are Tampa Hotels Required to Protect Their Guests?
Hotels must protect their guests from known dangerous conditions on the property–or dangerous conditions that the hotel should have known about through the exercise of ordinary care. Basically, this means the hotel’s management needs to be proactive and conduct regular inspections to identify and correct any potential hazards before they can injure a guest. The hotel cannot ignore potential safety problems and then plead ignorance if something goes wrong.
While most Tampa-area hotels take this responsibility seriously, we still see far too many cases where a lack of preventive maintenance has led to serious injury. Some of the more common scenarios include:
- Slip, Trip, and Fall Accidents: Hotel staff must keep all public areas of the property free of spills and debris that could lead a guest to slip or trip and fall. This duty extends to making sure all stairways and outdoor walkways are kept properly lit and in good condition.
- Swimming Pool Accidents: If the hotel has a swimming pool or hot tub, it must be kept reasonably safe to prevent drowning accidents and other injuries, such as slip and falls, that could occur in the area. This includes making sure the water itself is properly cleaned and sanitized and posting appropriate warning signs.
- Bed Bugs: Hotels need to regularly inspect and treat their rooms for potential bed bug infestations. These insects feed off the blood of humans and other animals, which can lead to serious health problems for guests who are unaware of an infestation.
- Security: A hotel must implement reasonable security members, such as ensuring guest doors can properly lock and common areas are well-lit at night. Florida law can hold a hotelier liable for negligent security that leads to a foreseeable criminal act against a guest, such as theft or assault.
Contact Anderson & Anderson Today
As with any Florida premises liability case, a guest injured due to a hotel’s negligence may seek compensation for their medical bills, lost income, and pain and suffering, among other damages. Our qualified Tampa hotel premises liability lawyers can review your case and explain your legal options for demanding appropriate compensation for your losses. Call Anderson & Anderson today at 813-251-0072 or contact us online to schedule an initial consultation.
