Maison Law represents injury victims at any California hotel. One of the most popular and plentiful chains in the country is DoubleTree, which is owned by Hilton Properties. When you or a loved one get hurt in an accident there, our team can help. To discuss your potential options, contact us today for a free consultation.
What Should You Do After an Accident at a Hotel?
When you spend a few days or even a night at a DoubleTree, there’s many different things that can happen to you. Whether it be food poisoning or even something criminal like an assault or robbery, you and your family can suffer a wide range of potential injuries. But it’s your actions–or inactions–in the aftermath of an accident that will play a huge role in how your potential legal options play out. That’s why it’s important to do a few things, like:
- Get medical care right away and report what happened to the hotel staff or management.
- Take notes and snap pictures or videos of what caused the accident and any hazardous conditions, as well as any damage or injuries.
- Keep track of your losses and keep any bills and receipts.
- Report the accident to your insurance carrier.
Do You Need a Lawyer?
The answer here depends on the circumstances–and your needs. If the accident and your injuries were minor, you can probably have the hotel itself take care of everything. However, the more hurt you are, the more help you’ll probably need. That’s where our experienced team can come in and make the process easier for you and your family. Here’s how:
- We’ll investigate what happened and figure out everyone who’s responsible.
- We’ll explain how your particular case process will work.
- We’ll help you gather important evidence and put together a proper valuation of your claim and damages.
- We’ll make the overall process easier on you and your family, allowing you to focus on your health.
What any accident brings is uncertainty. That’s why we take such pride in our approach. We strive to give all of our clients the personalized approach they need to get a satisfactory result.
Injuries and Damages in a Hotel Accident
The overall goal of the claims process after you’ve been injured in a hotel accident is to recover “damages.” This is just the legal term of your injuries and their associated costs and losses you’re left with.
A big part of your damages is going to depend on what your injuries are, and these can vary widely when there’s an accident at a DoubleTree or any other hotel. Most often, though, an accident will leave you with:
- Burns – You and others may suffer burns from hot water, steam, electrical appliances, or chemicals used for cleaning.
- Cuts and lacerations – Broken glass, sharp edges on furniture, or improperly stored objects can cause cuts and lacerations.
- Muscle strains – Lifting heavy objects, improper ergonomics, or slipping on uneven surfaces can result in strains and sprains.
- Bruises and contusions – Collisions with furniture, doors, or other guests can lead to bruises and contusions.
- Electrical shocks – Faulty wiring, malfunctioning appliances, or improperly maintained electrical systems can cause electrical shocks.
- Head injuries – Falling objects, collisions, or slipping on wet surfaces can result in head injuries ranging from minor bumps to concussions.
- Fractures and broken bones – Falls from heights, slipping on stairs, or accidents involving heavy objects can cause fractures and broken bones.
- Soft tissue injuries – Impact with objects or surfaces can cause injuries to muscles, tendons, and ligaments.
- Respiratory issues – Exposure to harmful chemicals or allergens during cleaning or maintenance activities can lead to respiratory problems.
Obviously, the more injured you are, the higher your expenses will be. California law gives you the opportunity to recover damages by filing an injury claim, either through an insurance claim or a personal injury lawsuit. Typically, a successful claim will allow you to get back:
- Medical expenses and treatment costs, including ongoing care needs.
- Lost income or loss of earning potential.
- Repair/replacement costs for any damaged personal property, like your phone or luggage.
- Pain and suffering, and emotional distress damages.
- Loss of enjoyment of life or companionship.
An extremely important part of any injury claim is filing on time. In California, the “statute of limitations” for an injury claim is two years from the date of the accident or injury. Miss this deadline, and you won’t be able to even make a claim for damages.
How is Liability Determined in a Hotel Accident?
An accident at a DoubleTree hotel, while somewhat unique, is actually no different than any other accident in the eyes of California law. Basically, these accidents fall under “premises liability”, where the hotel and the people they employ have:
- A duty of care to keep you and other guests safe while on the property.
When they don’t do that, and you get hurt, they will have been “negligent.” And negligence is the determining factor in liability. Specifically, this can fall on a number of different parties:
- Owners or management – The hotel owner or management company may be held liable if the accident occurred due to negligence in maintaining the premises, inadequate security measures, or failure to address known hazards.
- Hotel staff – If the accident resulted from the actions or negligence of hotel staff, such as improper cleaning procedures leading to slippery floors or failure to fix broken equipment, the hotel may be held liable for the staff’s actions under the legal principle of vicarious liability.
- Contractors or third parties – If the accident was caused by the negligence of contractors hired by the hotel for renovations, repairs, or maintenance, those contractors may be held liable. Similarly, if a third-party service provider (e.g., a catering company) causes an accident on the hotel premises, they could be liable.
- Product manufacturers – In cases where the accident involved a defective product or equipment provided by a manufacturer, the manufacturer may be held liable for any resulting injuries under product liability laws.
- Guests or visitors – In some cases, if a guest or visitor’s actions directly caused the accident (e.g., a guest spills a drink causing someone to slip), they may be held liable for the resulting injuries.
Figuring out liability is another hugely important aspect of your case, because it will set the parameters of who your claim is against–and who is responsible for paying for your damages. When you take the step to work with our team, we’ll make sure we figure out every liable party to maximize your claim’s value.
Dedicated California Hotel Accident Lawyers
A stay at a DoubleTree in California shouldn’t leave you with injuries, but this happens far too often. At Maison Law, our dedicated lawyers understand how impactful hotel accidents can be. If you or a loved one have been injured because of a DoubleTree or anyone else’s negligence, contact us today for a free consultation.
