What is a hotel’s liability regarding an injury to a guest?
Get Legal Help Today
Compare Quotes From Top Companies and Save
Secured with SHA-256 Encryption
What is a hotel’s liability regarding an injury to a guest?
I was recently staying in a hotel. The restaurant has walls and doors all made of transparent glass. I walked into a panel of a wall which, due to a lack of markings, appeared to be an open space. The hotel also had no medical professional on-site or an individual with medical training that could indicate to me the appropriate course of action with my injury; I had a bloody and bruised nose (possible break). What is the hotel’s obligation regarding both markings on a glass wall and having trained medical staff? Should I speak with a personal injury attorney? In Las Vegas, NV.
Asked on December 30, 2010 under Personal Injury, Nevada
Answers:
SJZ, Member, New York Bar / FreeAdvice Contributing Attorney
Answered 13 years ago | Contributor
It is almost certain it's NOT worthwhile talking to a personal injury attorney:
1) You can only sue for the damages you suffered. For a bloody, bruised nose, that's essentially nothing--it's not serious enough for pain and suffering and the medical costs to you are far less than the cost of taking action. If you nose is broken, you could sue for medical costs and any lost wages (if you missed work), but unless it required extensive medical care and/or you suffered some long-term or permanent detriment, it still would not be worth suing for.
2) It's common to have glass panels, doors, etc. in buildings. There is nothing negligent, or unreasonably careless, about doing so, and even very "clear" ones are not invisible--people can see where they are. Unless this was very unusual circumstances, such as involving a layout unusually likely to deceive someone into thinking it was an open space (e.g. a panel jutting across what appeared to be a continuous hallway), it's hard to imagine there'd be fault or liability.
3) There's no requirement or duty for hotels and restaurants to have medical staff, and no liability for not doing so.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: The Answer(s) provided above are for general information only. The attorney providing the answer was not serving as the attorney for the person submitting the question or in any attorney-client relationship with such person. Laws may vary from state to state, and sometimes change. Tiny variations in the facts, or a fact not set forth in a question, often can change a legal outcome or an attorney's conclusion. Although AttorneyPages.com has verified the attorney was admitted to practice law in at least one jurisdiction, he or she may not be authorized to practice law in the jurisdiction referred to in the question, nor is he or she necessarily experienced in the area of the law involved. Unlike the information in the Answer(s) above, upon which you should NOT rely, for personal advice you can rely upon we suggest you retain an attorney to represent you.