Hotels must ensure that the premises are safe for guests

There are many hotels in Florida and people frequent them often for a variety of reasons. Florida is a popular destination for tourists especially as the weather gets colder in the north. So, the hotels may experience an increase in business soon. The cost of the hotels and the extra amenities they provide vary quite a bit, but no matter how much the hotel costs, they all must provide certain safety measures to keep their guests safe.

This does not mean that the hotel will automatically be liable for every injury that occurs at the hotel, but if they do not follow the safety measures, they could be liable. These safety measures include ensuring that each door to the individual rooms properly lock.

Hotels that are over three stories must ensure that all railings around balconies, railings on staircase and other types of protective railings must be working properly and properly maintained. They also must file a report every three years indicating that someone has personally inspected all the railings and that they are properly maintained.

If a hotel fails to maintain these safety measures, guests can be seriously injured as a result. Falling off a balcony or down a flight of stairs can result in a number of life-changing types of injuries such as spinal cord injuries, brain injuries or even death. These injuries can be very costly for the victims and their families. However, as stated above, the victim may be entitled to compensation from the hotel for the costs of the injury through a premises liability lawsuit.

Most hotels in Florida do a good job of ensuring the safety of their guests, but unfortunately not all do and mistakes occur. If a guest is injured as a result they may incur significant medical bills and lose income if they are unable to work. If the hotel failed to properly maintain safety features and that caused the accident, they may need to compensate the guest for these costs. Experienced attorneys understand how devastating these injuries can be and may be able to help protect one’s rights.

Source: Florida State Legislature, “Florida Statute 509.211” accessed on Nov. 9, 2017