Florida is the second most popular state for individuals and families to vacation, behind California and before Hawaii. With this, the state is home to a bustling hospitality industry with thousands of hotel properties. Unfortunately, not every hotel owner or property manager does their due diligence in keeping their premises safe for their guests. With this, hotel accidents are reported at an alarming rate each year. If you find yourself part of this statistic, please follow along to find out the accidents you and other guests may have fallen victim to, and how a proficient Panama City hotel accident attorney at Manuel & Thompson, PA, can help in your pursuit of legal action.
What types of accidents are possible during a hotel stay?
The most obvious type of accident that may occur on a hotel property is a slip and fall. For example, you may slip and fall due to a loose or missing handrail in a stairway, wet, unmopped tile near a swimming pool, or inadequate lighting mixed with raised carpeting in a hallway. But there are also other ways you may get wrongfully injured during what was supposed to be a pleasant hotel stay. They read as follows:
- You may have been made the victim of assault due to a lack of security presence or systems throughout the hotel property.
- You may have been made the victim of an auto accident due to a hotel’s poorly designed parking garage with tight turns and large blind spots.
- You may have been made the victim of food poisoning after dining at one of the hotel’s bars, restaurants, buffets, or room service menus.
- You may have been made the victim of a defective product injury after using the hotel gym’s faulty or poorly constructed equipment and machines.
Where do I file my personal injury claim after my hotel injury?
In the context of your personal injury claim, things may get confusing if you are not a Florida resident but the hotel where you got injured is located here, or vice versa. Well, as a general rule of thumb, you typically pursue your civil claim in the state where your accident happened. This is because the negligent hotel owner or property manager, and the hotel property itself, function under the laws of the state where it is located.
With that being said, for your personal injury accident in a Florida hotel, the statute of limitations for your claim is two years. Also, your claim is subject to Florida’s modified comparative negligence rule, which holds that you may only recover damages if you are found 50 percent or less at fault for your incurred injuries. Rest assured, especially if you are an out-of-state resident unfamiliar with Florida civil laws, your legal representative will help you comprehend these important details and logistics in no time.
If you are ready to fight for what is right, please retain the services of a talented Panama City slip & fall accident attorney. Our team at Manuel & Thompson, PA awaits your phone call.
