Maison Law proudly represents victims of injuries at hotels in California. This includes those that happen at one of the many WoodSpring Suites across the state. These hotels have a duty to keep you and other guests safe while you’re there, and when they don’t, we can help you hold them accountable through the legal process. To learn how we can help you, contact us today for a free consultation.
What Can You Do After a Hotel Accident?
No matter how long you decide to stay at a WoodSpring Suites, there’s a number of different things that can happen to you. The fact is, there’s just too many potential risks in place that can leave you or a loved one injured. Some of these are obvious, like poor lighting, no supervision at a swimming pool, or broken flooring. Others, like no security cameras or poor access control on the property, aren’t so obvious. Regardless, these are often the things that leave you injured.
The question then becomes, what can you do in these situations? First and foremost, you’ll need to take care of your health. Do this by:
- Getting medical attention, both on site at the hotel then further treatment at a hospital or urgent care.
- Reporting the accident to the hotel and have them create a report.
- Document the scene by taking pictures or video, including of your injuries and anything that caused or led up to the accident.
- Preserve any evidence, and don’t repair or fix anything.
- Get insurance and contact information from management at the hotel and from anyone else involved.
Do You Need a Lawyer?
Another big question you’ll need to answer relates to your legal options. Regardless of your level of injury, you have the legal right to file an injury claim against the hotel and anyone else responsible for the accident–if it was caused by negligence. At the same time, every accident is different. If it was only minor, you might not need to worry about taking legal action. But if your injuries are more severe, our team can help you by:
- Investigating what happened
- Figuring out who all is liable for your injuries and other damages
- Evaluating your claim and helping you gather evidence
- Making the overall process easier
Even with our help, the process after an injury can be very challenging. This is true not just physically, but mentally, emotionally, and even legally. That’s where we can provide you with important support throughout this process.
Injuries and Your Damages in a Claim
Legally speaking, the extent of your injuries from the particular accident is going to go a long way in how your case will be valued. That’s why it’s so important to keep up with medical care and tracking your bills, expenses, and other losses. However, because every hotel accident is different, that means your injuries will depend on what actually happened. Usually, when there’s an accident at a WoodSpring Suites, it can leave you with:
- Broken bones or fractures
- Head trauma or concussions
- Torn ligaments
- Burns
- Chest injuries
- Respiratory injuries
- Cuts and bruises
- Illness
- Lost items from robberies or theft
- Drowning or near drownings in pools
Damages
The process for seeking these damages can happen in one of two ways, an insurance claim or by a personal injury lawsuit. Both options allow you to seek compensation for:
- Medical expenses – Covers costs like hospital visits, surgeries, medications, rehab, and therapy.
- Lost income – Accounts for income you couldn’t earn due to the accident, including future earnings if your ability to work is affected.
- Pain and suffering – Includes physical pain, emotional distress, and mental anguish from the accident.
- Property damage – Pays for repairing or replacing damaged belongings like clothes or electronics.
- Disability or disfigurement – Addresses lasting challenges or changes caused by the accident.
- Loss of enjoyment of life or companionship – Reflects the impact on your ability to enjoy activities or maintain relationships.
- Punitive damages – In certain cases, you can get additional damages for extreme negligence, meant to prevent similar behavior in the future.
While these damages will differ from case to case, what doesn’t change is how liability is determined. This is extremely important, because that’s how the law decides who pays for these damages.
Who Pays For These Damages?
Accidents or injuries in an accident at a WoodSprings Suites hotel are categorized as “premises liability” cases in legal terms. Before you can actually file a claim for your damages, you have to identify the party responsible for the incident. While the hotel itself (through its parent company) typically bears some level of liability, this depends on the circumstances. Liability is ultimately determined through negligence, which happens when:
- The hotel or others fail in their duty to ensure the safety of visitors on the premises.
This failure may result from the hotel’s neglect to address known hazards or fulfill expected responsibilities, such as supervising children in swimming areas or repairing broken stairs or flooring. However, other parties may also be potentially liable depending on the specific circumstances of the accident. These parties typically include:
- Hotel staff or employees – Hotel employees may be held accountable if their actions or oversights contribute to an accident. For instance, if they fail to promptly clean up spills, they could be at fault for slip and fall incidents.
- Maintenance or security workers – Contractors hired by the hotel are responsible for ensuring the safety of the premises. If they fail to perform their duties adequately and an accident occurs as a result, they could be held liable. For example, incorrect installation of handrails leading to a fall could lead to liability.
- Other guests or visitors – Guests and visitors are also expected to exercise caution. If their actions cause harm to someone else, they may be considered responsible. For instance, if a guest throws an object from a balcony and injures someone below, they could be held liable for their actions.
- Product or food manufacturers – If you sustain an injury due to a defective product or contaminated food provided by the hotel, the manufacturer could be held responsible. For example, if you experience food poisoning from a meal due to substandard ingredients, the manufacturer may bear liability for the resulting harm.
Your actions–or inactions–can also play a role here. This is known as “comparative negligence.” In California, any percentage of fault that you had in the accident can reduce your potential damages by the same percentage. That’s why it’s important to protect your legal rights any way you can.
Turn To Maison Law After a Hotel Accident in California
Accidents can happen anywhere, even at places like WoodSpring Suites. In California, many people deal with injuries from hotel incidents every day. At Maison Law, we focus on holding hotels and others responsible for their negligence. Our skilled team is here to help you navigate the legal process, fighting for your rights to make sure you get the result you deserve. Contact us today for a free consultation to get the recovery process started.
