Palm Springs, Palm Desert And Indio Hotel Accident Attorneys
The rapid growth of events and tourism in Palm Springs, Palm Desert and Indio has brought with it an unwanted consequence: injuries that happen to guests at hotels, motels, resorts, Airbnbs, Vrbos, campgrounds and glampgrounds, and other lodging facilities.
Each year, visitors are injured while visiting the desert for festivals and other events: Coachella, Stagecoach, the White Party, the Joshua Tree Music Festival, The Dinah, and the Palm Springs International Film Festival. Many accidents also occur during vacation trips or weekend visits.
At Martinez & Schill LLP, our personal injury attorneys know how to handle hotel accident cases. On this page we will look at: the standard of care that is expected of hospitality property owners; causes of injuries at lodging locations; types of injuries; and compensation for injuries.
What Standard Of Care Do Hospitality Owners Owe To Guests?
Property owners in the hospitality industry are legally responsible to provide a reasonable standard of care to guests. At the heart of this standard is a question: What would a reasonable, prudent property owner do to protect the safety of visitors? In other words, was the owner negligent?
Premises liability cases typically are won or lost on specific facts. Was the facility designed and built properly? Did the owner perform adequate maintenance? Did the owner know – or should the owner have known – that a hazard existed? When there were hazardous conditions, did the owner adequately warn visitors?
What Causes Accidents At Hotels And Other Lodging Facilities?
The list of possible causes is very long, but here are some of the most common.
- Accidents on decks, patios, porches and balconies
- Cracked/damaged pedestrian areas
- Criminal attacks
- Elevator accidents
- Food poisoning
- Inadequate lighting of interior and exterior areas
- Inadequate warnings for natural hazards, such as rocks, boulders, and wildlife
- Slippery surfaces from water, dust, sand (floors, bathrooms, pool decks, parking lots, walkways)
- Stairwell accidents
- Uneven surfaces (carpeting, tile, wood flooring, etc.)
- Unmarked hazards (large or short steps, wiring, cords, poles, holes)
- Unstable chairs, tables, railings, bathroom fixtures
Accidents also can be caused by problems on a larger scale, such as the improper design, construction and maintenance of roads and parking.
Why Do Hotel Accidents Happen?
The core problem is people who are rushing to profit from economic opportunity in the desert.
Owners, developers, designers, builders and subcontractors make mistakes throughout the building, remodeling and retrofitting processes. Some of the mistakes are unintentional, but others are the result of taking shortcuts on quality and safety.
The sources of accidents are easy to understand: faulty design, unrealistic construction deadlines, poor construction methods or shoddy materials, poor maintenance and recordkeeping, and inadequate staff training.
What Types Of Injuries Can Happen?
Injuries run the gamut: soft-tissue injuries, broken bones, catastrophic injuries and even death.
What Damages Can Be Recovered?
Compensation for hotel, motel, resort injuries can include economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages can include medical costs and lost wages. Non-economic damages can include pain and suffering, emotional distress, loss of enjoyment of life and loss of consortium.
How Can Our Hotel Accident Attorneys Help?
At Martinez & Schill LLP, our attorneys know how to investigate and prevail in personal injury cases involving hotels, motels, Airbnb, Vrbo, campgrounds and glampgrounds in Palm Springs, Palm Desert and Indio. Our lawyers investigate cases promptly, analyze the facts thoroughly, and then negotiate or litigate aggressively on behalf of our clients. Our goal is to recover the compensation that our clients deserve.
Speak With Us Today
To arrange a free consultation with one of our lawyers, call our Riverside office at 951-290-3367, our San Diego office at 619-512-5995, or contact us through our website.