What Should You Do After A Hotel Accident?
The last thing you would want to happen to you during a vacation is to be injured. However, accidents do happen, and when they do, make sure you are prepared with what to do each step of the way. Hotel and resort accidents are complicated. You should call a hotel lawyer to help sort out facts, but you or your lawyer should immediately take seven steps after the incident.
The last thing you would want to happen to you during a vacation is to be injured.
1. Request for medical care
It’s common to think that one’s injuries are minor and don’t require serious medical attention. However, this isn’t always the case as sometimes the injury affects only come down the line. Be sure to get a checkup with a medical professional to ascertain the extent of the harm you underwent. Additionally, documenting the accident is essential in helping your attorney acquire relevant paperwork to pursue the necessary legal process.
2. Have the hotel write a report
Hotels and resorts are not required by law to make reports for any accidents that occur on-premises. That being said, most hotels readily agree to create these reports, especially if a guest was injured at the hotel. Additionally, most insurance policies require hotels to have risk management policies and safety procedures. The resort or hotel will need to report any injury on its premises to comply with their policy.
When talking to the resort’s security or manager, make sure to stick to the facts regarding the injury and nothing more. All information you give may appear in a court of law. Keep away from discussing details with the hotel management, which may lead to some form of admission of fault or responsibility.
Lastly, try to stay calm during the report. Yelling, screaming, and especially getting physical could portray you negatively in the process.
3. Retain a copy of the incident report
The report created by the hotel will be an essential tool for your hotel accident lawyer down the line. Try to attain a copy from the hotel or resort. If you fail to retrieve the official hotel report, recreate your own report, detailing who you spoke with and what happened during the conversation.
4. Find potential witnesses
Eyewitnesses would be extremely helpful for your legal pursuit. You should request for them to help you with the case, and add their contact information to your report so that your lawyer will be able to contact them later.
5. Have the hotel check the surveillance cameras
Even better than eyewitnesses, try to find out whether the hotel might have video footage of the incident. Many resorts and hotels have cameras covering practically every inch of the public areas of the hotel. If the incident had happened outside your room, there is a good chance that it was captured on video.
6. Take videos and photographs
In such events as injuries in hotels and resorts, turn your smartphone into a documentation device, covering the incident in real-time. Take lots of pictures and videos to help you with this case down the line.
Preparing for a hotel or resort accident lawsuit
It is important for both local and international tourists to know what to do in the case of an accident at a resort or hotel. We recommend not hesitating to seek legal assistance as soon as possible. There are many tricks and tips that lawyers who specialize in these cases have up their sleeves. Please take advantage of them.
