Hotels in Kentucky have the duty to provide a safe environment to their guests and visitors. They may face a premises liability or other negligence lawsuit for failure to exercise reasonable care for their guests’ safety.
Hotels should inspect and seek out hazardous conditions that may not be readily apparent or seen by guests. Guests should also be warned about hazards. The establishment may be held liable if a guest suffers harm and the harm or danger was foreseeable, but the hotel did nothing to warn guests or eliminate these risks.
Hotel guests are not protected from their own negligence. For example, an obvious hazard, such as a slippery bathroom floor, is not grounds for a lawsuit. However, a hotel would be liable for a poorly-repaired bathroom fixture that left water standing and an unsuspecting guest slipped and fell.
Hotels must care for the safety and security of their patrons. This may include evicting or restraining drunken or disorderly guests who may harm other guests and their property. But, hotels cannot harm unruly guests and must take reasonable precautions, such as calling the police, arranging safe transport
or escorting them.
Hotels should not serve alcohol to an already-intoxicated guest. They may also be held liable for injuries caused by serving drinks to underage patrons.
Hotels must also provide protections against criminal activity by installing deadbolt locks, peepholes on room doors, chain locks, communication devices, and track bars for sliding glass doors. Video surveillance may be fundamental in high risk or secluded areas. They should take reasonable steps to prevent certain crimes that are foreseeable in their location and circumstances.
Finally, guests often assume the risk of using hotel pools. Hotels have eliminated diving boards because of their potential to cause injuries. Hotels must post no diving signs and comply with rules on lifeguards and other state requirements.
Guests and patrons who suffer injuries because hotel negligence may be entitled to compensation. An attorney can help obtain evidence and take legal action.
