Watch Kids Around the Pool Area

If you are staying at a hotel or motel with a pool, it may be tempting to say “yes” when your kids ask if they can go down to the pool on their own. Drowning accidents are much too common at hotels and motels across the country, and most hotels do not have lifeguards on duty who can provide any kind of supervision. Even if you have teenagers, it is important to take precautions and to supervise your children while they are swimming.

Beyond the risks of drowning, it is also important to avoid running on a wet pool patio or deck. These areas can be slick, and a serious slip and fall injury may occur.

Take Precautions on Staircases

Whether you are going up or down an interior or exterior staircase at a hotel or motel, you should always hold the handrail and avoid running. Slips and falls occur with some frequency on staircases, and injuries can occur more frequently when stairs are not properly lit, or carpet or flooring on the stairs is torn or damaged.

Avoid Elevator Injuries

Many hotels have elevators, and it is essential to keep in mind that elevators can pose injury risks for passengers. You should always watch your step when you step into the elevator, recognizing that there may be a gap between the floor of the hotel and the elevator car. Elevators can also pose injury risks when passengers get limps caught in closing doors. Accordingly, do not attempt to quickly get into an elevator as its doors are closing. Finally, elevators have weight limits, and it is critical to avoid overloading an elevator. If a particular elevator looks very crowded, you should wait for the next elevator car.

Check Window and Door Locks

Third-party assaults can occur at hotels and motels, especially when a hotel room has a broken window or door lock. Before you settle in for the night, you should check the windows and doors to ensure that everything is secure.

If any unreasonable hazards result in an injury, you may be able to file a negligence claim against the hotel or motel under California premises liability law.

Contact Our Poway Hotel Negligence Attorneys

If you or someone you love sustained a serious injury at a hotel or motel in Southern California, you may be eligible to file a claim for compensation. One of our experienced Poway hotel negligence lawyers can evaluate your case for you today and can discuss your options for filing a claim. Contact the Walton Law Firm for more information.

See Related Blog Posts: Driving Safety During the Holidays Who Can I Sue for Car Accident Injuries in San Marcos?

Recent Hotel Hot Tub Accident Lawsuit in California

A parent recently filed a lawsuit against a Howard Johnson hotel in California, according to the Courtroom View Network, after her daughter suffered a serious traumatic brain injury (TBI) in a hotel hot tub accident. The case involved the child’s near-drowning, and the mother alleged that the hotel was negligent because its hot tub was “too easily accessible for children,” and because “the hotel didn’t take adequate safety precautions to protect children playing in the facility.” The hotel argued that the plaintiff’s failure to supervise her daughter was actually the cause of the TBI the child sustained in the hot tub. The jury agreed with the hotel, and the case ultimately ended in a settlement, but it makes clear that the hotel likely would have been responsible if the circumstances were slightly different.

How Do Hot Tub Accidents Happen at Hotels?

Hot tub accidents can happen at hotels in a wide variety of ways, including but not limited to:

• Slips and falls;
• Burn injuries;
• Heat overexposure;
• Near-drowning accidents; and
• Drowning deaths.

According to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), children are at particular risk of injury in hot tub accidents at hotels and motels, as well as in private residences. Although many hot tub accidents involving kids result in injuries to young children, older kids can also be affected. For example, the CPSC has recorded fatal hotel tub accidents in which teenagers have drowned in hot tubs at hotels and motels, particularly in cases involving underage drinking.

Hotel Negligence and Comparative Fault

Hotels or motels can be held accountable for hot tub accidents in cases where the hotel’s negligence caused the plaintiff’s injuries. The recent case highlights how a plaintiff’s own fault can affect a recovery in cases like this, yet it is critical to understand that a plaintiff who is partially at fault for a hot tub accident can still recover as long as the hotel or motel was also partially at fault for the injury or death. Under California’s pure comparative fault rule, a plaintiff can recover damages as long as the hotel or motel bears at least some responsibility, but the plaintiff’s damages award will be reduced by his or her own fault.

Contact Our Vista Hotel Negligence Lawyers

If you have questions about filing a lawsuit against a hotel or motel in Southern California, you should seek advice from our Vista hotel negligence attorneys to learn more about your options. Contact the Walton Law Firm today for more information.

See Related Blog Posts: San Marcos Hotel Negligence in the Era of Coronavirus Common Hotel and Motel Negligence Claims in Rancho Bernardo