If you slip and fall at a hotel in South Carolina, seek medical attention. Tell a staff member and ask to file an incident report. Save evidence and take photos. Call 864-808-1810 to discuss your case with a slip and fall lawyer at Jordan Law Center.
Jordan Law Center explains hotel slip and fall settlements and what you need to know.
Can you sue a hotel if you fall on its property?
You can sue a hotel if you fall on their property if the fall is legally the hotel’s fault. The fall must have been the result of a dangerous condition that the hotel knew about or should have known about. To receive compensation, you must prove that the hotel was negligent in failing to keep the property safe.
Immediate Steps To Take After a Slip and Fall at a Hotel
1. Secure immediate safety
Make sure that you’re in a safe place. Sometimes, it’s important not to move a fall victim until help arrives. Other times, they must be moved because of ongoing danger. When you contact emergency responders, they can give instructions while you wait for help to arrive. Take care if there may be electrical exposure.
2. Seek medical attention
Medical attention can stabilize the injured person, prevent additional injuries, and help the healing begin. In addition, medical attention documents the injuries and creates a timeline of events. Medical attention is both personally beneficial and important for your legal claim.
3. Tell a staff member and make an incident report.
Tell a hotel staff member that an accident occurred. Ask to make a written incident report. The hotel should have a form to report the incident. In your report, be brief. Simply note that a fall occurred and you have injuries. You may give the basic facts, but don’t go into detail about what happened. Never say you’re sorry or admit fault.
If the injured person is physically unable to make a report, have someone else complete it. Obtain a copy of the incident report. If they won’t provide you with a copy, take a photo with your phone.
4. Take photographs
Take photographs of the accident scene. Try to take them as soon as possible—there might be a question about a liquid spill on the floor, for example, or someone may interfere with the scene. Use different angles. Try to capture the lighting when the accident occurred, but also turn additional lights on, if possible, to help illuminate the scene.
5. Save evidence
Save evidence like a broken door knob or clothing the injured person was wearing at the time. Keep the footwear they were wearing and ask them not to wear the footwear or clothing again. Store items in a dry place.
6. Identify witnesses
Witnesses may include members of your party, other hotel guests, and staff. Ask for the full name, title, and employee number of any staff member who assisted. Get names, phone numbers, and physical addresses for witnesses.
7. Determine owner
To receive compensation, you must identify the party to name in the claim. Hotel ownership structures can be complex. The hotel brand often isn’t the hotel owner, and there may be multiple corporate entities involved. It may be appropriate to name a party other than the hotel.
8. Gather video surveillance and maintenance records
Working quickly can preserve valuable evidence. While you can ask the hotel to provide video surveillance and maintenance records, it may be necessary to put them on notice to preserve evidence. Contact Jordan Law Center for immediate assistance.
9. Understand deadlines
Even if you’re in contact with the hotel, there are deadlines to file a case. Don’t wait to contact a lawyer.
10. File your case and negotiate your compensation
A legal claim begins with a complaint, and it may be possible to negotiate a settlement. This can occur before or after filing a legal case. After filing, you may proceed to build your case through legal discovery. An attorney can represent you.
Common Causes of Slip and Fall Accidents at Hotels in South Carolina
- Spills on the floor
- Wet floors due to heating and cooling, moisture, or pool areas
- Broken hand railings
- Elevator and escalator malfunctions
- Falling objects, falling off a balcony or platform
- Furniture, tables, and objects in the path
- Worn carpet
- Parking lot accidents
- Broken door knobs, bathtub handles
- Crowds and jostling
- Inadequate lighting
- Security incidents, assault, and battery
What constitutes negligence on the hotel’s part
What constitutes negligence of the hotel depends on the specific facts. For example, if a railing breaks, the hotel staff isn’t notified, and someone else falls two minutes later, that may not be negligent. However, if the railing isn’t fixed for two months, the hotel is likely negligent.
As a business, hotels have a high duty of care to their customers. The hotel must take reasonable steps to prevent harm from known dangers. Plus, they are responsible for dangers they could have discovered with reasonable diligence.
Hotel Slip and Fall Settlements: What You Need To Know
- You may qualify to receive a settlement for a slip and fall at a South Carolina hotel.
- You do not have to be a resident of South Carolina.
- Even if you have some liability (such as running or wearing improper footwear), you may still receive compensation.
- A settlement should reflect the harm that has occurred, including financial loss and pain and suffering.
- What you do immediately after a slip and fall can impact your claim.
- A Greenville slip and fall lawyer can assist you.
How a Greenville Slip and Fall Lawyer Can Help
A Greenville slip and fall lawyer can preserve evidence and contact witnesses. They can guide you through what to do right now to protect your rights. Your attorney can represent you in your claim for compensation, taking legal steps and negotiating your compensation.
Contact a Lawyer
Did you or a loved one slip and fall at a hotel in South Carolina? Are you wondering what to do?
We invite you to contact a lawyer at Jordan Law Center. We are experienced attorneys, ready to pursue your case. Call 864-808-1810 or message us now.
“There is not enough GREAT THINGS I could say about Jordan Law Center.”