Washington, D.C. Hotel Injury Lawyers
When you book a hotel room, you have a reasonable expectation that you will have a safe, inviting place to stay. Unfortunately, all hotels in Washington D.C. do not meet an acceptable standard of quality. If you are injured because of unsafe conditions on hotel property, you may be able to take legal action. Property owners, including hotel managers, have a responsibility to keep their premises safe for visitors. When they fail in this duty, you can hold them liable for your injuries.
Filing an injury claim against a hotel will allow you to pursue the compensation that you need to cover your medical expenses and offset any other losses you’ve experienced. The attorneys at CHASENBOSCOLO have been fighting on behalf of injury victims for over three decades. We are committed to recovering the maximum amount of compensation for our clients so that they can heal and move on.
Unless we are able to achieve a positive outcome in the form of a favorable settlement or verdict, we do not accept payment. So no matter the financial strain your injury has caused, you can afford the high-quality legal representation of CHASENBOSCOLO. Speak with one of our hotel injury lawyers about your options today by calling (301) 220-0050.
Do I Need a Hotel Injury Lawyer?
Injury victims face serious physical and financial obstacles such as emergency and ongoing medical expenses, lost wages, and excruciating physical pain. Lost mobility may completely change what you are able to accomplish both in your personal life and your career. Coping with these limitations is never easy, and especially when your injury is caused by someone else, you should not be forced to deal with them on your own.
The hotel likely has aggressive attorneys and insurance companies on its side who will fight to keep you from prevailing in your claim. They may try to trick you into taking responsibility for your own injuries, or pressure you into accepting a lowball settlement offer that will not cover all your costs. Instead of trying to take on these formidable opponents on your own, hire a lawyer from CHASENBOSCOLO. They can negotiate with the opposition for you to ensure you get every penny of compensation you deserve. With a lawyer on your side, you are likely to receive far more money than you would on your own.
Why Hire CHASENBOSCOLO to Handle My Case?
CHASENBOSCOLO has won hundreds of millions of dollars in settlements and verdicts for our clients. We are proud of our results because ultimately the results that we are able to achieve on behalf of our clients are what helps them move forward with their lives. We’ve been named to the Million Dollar Advocates Forum, Multi-Million Dollar Advocates Forum, and Super Lawyers for our efforts both in and out of the courtroom. We also have an AV Preeminent rating from Martindale-Hubbell, the highest possible peer-reviewed rating from other attorneys.
Additionally, our firm has been named to the Washington Post’s Best Places to Work list because CHASENBOSCOLO is committed to treating everyone – including our clients and our employees – with respect and compassion. We know that when injury victims reach out to us they are often going through an incredibly difficult time. Our team is committed to meeting our clients’ needs, providing excellent legal support, and fighting relentlessly for the best possible results.
Hotel Injury Cases We Handle
If you have been injured while you were staying at a hotel, you must be able to prove that the hotel was at fault. In order to hold a hotel legally responsible for your injury, you must prove that the hotel owed you a duty of care, the hotel breached this duty, this breach directly caused your injuries, and you have experienced losses as a result. If you’ve chosen to stay in a hotel and paid for the privilege to do so, the hotel has a duty to you as a guest.
As a paying hotel guest, you are considered an invitee and, under premises liability law, invitees are owed the highest duty of care. All hazards that pose a threat to guests need to be promptly addressed and brought to the guests’ attention so that they are aware and able to avoid the hazard until the issue is resolved. The following can all pose a threat to hotel guests:
- Broken or leaking pipes
- Inadequate lighting
- Obstructed staircases
- Poorly lit staircases
- Pest infestations
- Uneven flooring
- Torn carpeting
- Slippery floors
- Broken elevators
- Poorly trained lifeguards
- Broken or defective door locks
- Inadequate staff hiring and training
- Ineffective security
Since hotels provide guests with a place to stay overnight, security is a serious concern. Hotels should prevent criminal activity to the best of their ability. Properly training security staff, installing perimeter lighting, and keeping the door lock system in mint condition all work toward the overall physical safety of guests. When security measures are not treated with the seriousness that they deserve, it makes guests vulnerable to injury, theft, and property damage, and opens hotels up to premises liability claims.
An important part of the maintenance and general upkeep of a hotel is cleanliness. Cleanliness is not just a perk for guests but a necessity. When maintained properly, all evidence of previous guests in your room will be erased. However, if your room conditions are subpar, then issues like bed bug infestations may go unaddressed, leaving you vulnerable to bites and property damage as a result.
What is Vicarious Liability?
Hotels can be held accountable for the negligent actions of employees under the vicarious liability theory. For example, if you notified a hotel employee of a hazard and they failed to take action to address it, then you could file a claim against the hotel if the unaddressed hazard resulted in your injury. Even though the property manager or the employee’s supervisor may not have been aware of the danger personally, because they employ the negligent party, the hotel may still be made to answer for the employee’s actions.
What is the Statute of Limitations?
The statute of limitations is the amount of time that injury victims have to file a claim if they wish to recover compensation for their losses. If you are injured while staying in a Washington D.C. hotel, you must file your injury claim within three years of the date of the injury. At the time of your injury, you may have been traveling, but because the injury occurred in the District of Columbia, you are beholden to the local laws that apply.
While three years may seem generous, you should take action as soon as you can. Each injury claim is unique, and the time that it will take to recover compensation varies. However, the sooner you take action, the sooner a lawyer will be able to help you achieve a favorable outcome.
What Steps Should I Take Following an Injury?
Following an injury on hotel property, you should report the incident to an employee. If you are physically able, take pictures of the conditions that led to your injury. If not, have a friend or someone nearby snap some pictures to document the scene. Hotels typically have an accident report which you should fill out to the best of your ability. When filling out the report do not accept any blame for the accident, since this can completely bar you from receiving the compensation that you deserve. Additionally, seek the medical attention that you need following your injury. The sooner you are able to have your injuries addressed, the better your chances for recovery. Lastly, reach out to an injury lawyer. If your injury was caused by the failure of the hotel to address dangers, the hotel should ultimately be responsible for any injury-related expenses that you incur.
What is Contributory Negligence?
If you’ve reported an accident on the hotel property, the hotel may argue that you are somewhat at fault for your injury. For example, if you tripped and fell down a staircase due to poor lighting, they may argue that, though the lighting in the staircase was dimmer than usual, you were also not paying attention, which contributed to your injury. If they successfully prove that you in any way contributed to your own injury, then this means you are unable to collect any compensation from the hotel for your losses. Since this is a particularly harsh rule, find a skilled lawyer to help you fight against this and other defenses the at-fault party may attempt.
Let CHASENBOSCOLO Fight for You Today
When dangerous conditions on a property put you in harm’s way, you have the right to fight back. The team at CHASENBOSCOLO will listen to you, evaluate the facts of your situation, and help you understand your legal options. We have been working for injury victims for over 30 years and we are ready to help you fight for the justice you deserve. For a free consultation with a Washington D.C. premises liability lawyer, call us today at (301) 220-0050.
