Immediately following your slip and fall on a hotel property, your instinct may be to report it to the front desk. Firstly, this may be to prompt the hotel staff to rectify the hazard that caused your fall before any other guest falls victim to it. But also, it may be to complain to the owner or manager about your feeling unsafe during your stay on their property. In response, the owner or manager may be supremely apologetic and offer special accommodations to compensate you. Well, before accepting these gifts, please continue reading to learn the best way to protect yourself after your hotel accident and how an experienced Tampa slip and fall lawyer at Merricks Law Group, P.A. can help you get a good outcome after this unfortunate event.
How do I protect myself after a slip and fall at a hotel?
You may be extremely tempted to accept a hotel owner or manager’s offer to give you a free room upgrade, reduce your current room’s nightly rate, give complimentary meals or services for the rest of your stay, or any other special accommodation following your slip and fall accident. However, what should stop you in your tracks, so to speak, is if they ask you to sign any piece of paper before receiving their gift(s). This unassuming piece of paper may actually be a waiver that significantly limits your ability to seek further compensation via legal action for incurred injuries and damages.
And so, before making any rash decisions, you must carefully consider whether the value of these accommodations outweighs the cost of your current and future economic and non-economic damages. That is, if your injuries are serious enough, you may need extensive medical treatments, along with having to take months or even years away from your job and earning a living. This is not to mention how your quality of life and enjoyment of life may suffer for this prolonged period of time. Under these circumstances, a couple of free nights staying at this dangerous hotel property may not be worth it at all.
What should I do instead of accepting special accommodations?
Before signing your name anywhere, you should seek counsel from a seasoned legal representative. Likely, a lawyer will advise you not to agree to anything with the hotel owner or manager but rather demand that they record an incident report on your slip and fall, which they should supply you with a copy. Also, at this time, they may instruct you to call 911 after getting off the phone with them, so that law enforcement and emergency medical services can arrive at your aid. Further, they may urge you not to speak with anyone who may appear at the emergency room to question you until they can get there to answer on your behalf.
If you are ready to fight for what is right, please retain the services of a skilled Pasco County personal injury lawyer. Our team at Merricks Law Group, P.A. awaits your phone call.