Kaufman & Stigger, PLLC is proud to represent injury victims throughout Louisville, including those that experience accidents at a Marriott hotel chain. We’ll explain your options and what you can do to hold these places accountable for their negligence. Don’t hesitate. Contact us today to set up a free case consultation with our team.
What Should You Do After a Hotel Accident?
There are various risks at hotels like a Marriott that could lead to you or a loved one getting hurt. Some are obvious, like poor lighting or broken floors, while others, like lack of security cameras, aren’t so easy to spot. Either way, these things can cause injuries.
Even though you have options following a hotel accident, it’s very important to do a few things to protect your health and potential legal claim:
- Reporting the accident to the hotel and having them make a report.
- At the same time, get medical help from the hotel first, then further treatment at an emergency room or urgent care to take care of more severe injuries.
- Take pictures or videos of the scene, including your injuries and what caused the accident.
- Keep any evidence and don’t fix anything.
- Also, get insurance and contact information from the hotel management and anyone else involved.
Should You Get a Lawyer?
Answering this question depends on the circumstances. If the accident was minor, you probably don’t need a lawyer. However, the more hurt you are, the more help you’ll need. It’s here that our experienced Louisville hotel injury lawyers can help you. Here’s what we can do for you:
- Investigating the accident and who’s responsible based on what happened.
- Assessing your claim and helping you gather evidence.
- Making the process easier for you.
Even with our help, dealing with an injury can be tough. We’re here to support you physically, mentally, emotionally, and legally through it all. But it’s important on your end to understand how the process works. This starts with understanding liability.
Liability For a Hotel Accident
Determining who is responsible for an accident at a Marriott hotel, according to Kentucky law, follows the same rules as any other accident. It’s all about “premises liability,” meaning:
- The hotel and its employees have a duty to keep you and other guests safe while on their property.
When they fail to do so and you get injured, it’s considered “negligence.” But this can fall on a variety of different parties depending on what actually happened. Typically, though, it will involve the following groups:
- Owners or management – If the accident happens because of poor maintenance, lack of security, or ignoring hazards, the hotel owner or management company may be responsible.
- Hotel staff – If the accident occurs due to staff negligence, like not cleaning properly or ignoring broken equipment, the hotel can be held accountable under “vicarious liability.”
- Contractors or third parties – If hired contractors or service providers cause the accident during renovations, repairs, or service delivery, they might be responsible.
- Product manufacturers – If a defective product or equipment causes the accident, the manufacturer could be held accountable under product liability laws.
- Guests or visitors – If a guest or visitor’s actions directly cause the accident, they might be responsible.
Figuring out who’s liable is crucial for your case, as it determines who you’ll file a claim against and who’s responsible for covering your damages. When you work with our team, we’ll identify all liable parties to maximize your claim’s value.
Claims Process After a Hotel Accident
When you’re involved in an accident at a Marriott and want to pursue legal action, there’s a process to follow. Before making any decisions, it’s smart to take advantage of our free consultations. We’ll review your case and help you decide what to do next, at no cost to you.
Generally speaking, though, there are two main paths for filing a claim: through an insurance claim or by filing a lawsuit. Usually, it starts with an insurance claim and progresses to a lawsuit, but the route your case takes depends on the specifics of your accident. Here’s a quick overview of the two processes:
- Insurance claim – When you’re injured, the insurance company gets involved, either yours or the at-fault party’s. They’ll assess your claim and offer you a settlement. This all happens outside of the court system, so it’s much less formal. Settling out of court can be quicker and cheaper, but the offer might not cover all your losses.
- Lawsuit – Filing a lawsuit means taking your case to court. It takes longer and requires more effort, but it might result in more financial support via damages. Our team will handle all the legal work, from filing paperwork to negotiating with the other side.
Damages
Again, the overall goal of any injury claim is to recover certain damages from the responsible party. In a hotel accident, you could be left with serious injuries and other damage that is having a profound impact on your life. This factors into your overall recovery. In a typical hotel injury claim, you can potentially recover:
- Medical expenses and bills – These damages are some of the most common in a personal injury claim, covering your hospital bills and treatment costs. It can also cover ongoing care needs.
- Lost wages – If the injury has hindered your ability to work or earn income, you can potentially recover these lost wages or earnings, including any potential future income impacted by the injury.
- Property damage – In cases where your personal belongings are damaged or destroyed in the accident, you can get repair or replacement costs.
- Pain and suffering – These damages aim to address the non-financial toll of the accident on your life, like physical pain, discomfort, and mental suffering that results from the injury.
- Emotional distress – Alongside pain and suffering, you can recover damages for the psychological or emotional trauma experienced post-accident, such as anxiety, depression, or PTSD.
- Loss of enjoyment of life or companionship – If the injury has diminished your ability to engage in activities or hobbies you once enjoyed, you can seek damages for the loss of joy and fulfillment in life. Likewise, if the injury strains relationships with loved ones, resulting in a loss of companionship, love, or support, you can also recover damages for that.
Overall, the value of your case is going to hinge on how well you present your side of the story. It’s here that our team of experienced hotel injury lawyers can really help. We have the knowledge and resources to put together a strong case for you, then present it to an insurance company or jury to get the damages you need to recover.
Contact Kaufman & Stigger For a Free Consultation
Staying at a Marriott hotel in Louisville should mean comfort and relaxation. However, when you get hurt in an accident, it can turn your life upside down, all because of something that probably could have been avoided. At Kaufman & Stigger, PLLC, our Louisville hotel injury lawyers will stand up for your rights and help you through the legal process. To get started on holding the Marriott accountable for their negligence, contact us today for a free consultation.
