How Hotel Security Is Responsible for Your Safety

By Grant Law Office on July 30, 2022

When you are a guest at a hotel, you can expect the hotel to take reasonable measures to ensure your safety. A hotel has a responsibility to provide adequate security to make their premises reasonably safe.

If a hotel has not done so, and you have been injured on the premises, the hotel owners could be liable for your injury.

Grant Law Office can help you determine this. Call us at (404) 995-3955 today.

How a hotel must keep guests reasonably safe

A hotel has a responsibility to make sure its guests are reasonably safe. Hotels usually fulfill this duty by having security cameras, especially around entrances, hallways and stairwells.

Hotels should also keep walkways, garages and any other entrances clear, well-lit and appropriately monitored. Many hotels have dedicated security personnel who work to make sure no harm comes to guests during their stay.

The measures necessary will vary from hotel to hotel, as security measures that may be adequate at one hotel could be insufficient at another. This is especially apparent when a hotel chain has hotels in different areas.

If a hotel is in an area with a high crime rate, that hotel may have more security and surveillance compared to the same hotel in an area with a low crime rate.

This practical consideration is echoed in the law, which requires the hotel to provide a level of protection to guests that is reasonable and adequate in the circumstances.

If you can prove the hotel’s negligence in providing reasonable security contributed to a dangerous situation, you may have a case of premises liability.

What types of crime might occur due to inadequate hotel security?

A hotel with inadequate security will generally see crimes of theft and injury to a person. This includes violent crimes such as shootings, assault and battery, rape, sexual abuse and sexual assault.

One of the most obvious security responsibilities a hotel holds is to ensure rooms have working locks. This means maintaining locks and regularly checking they work. This keeps guests safe in their rooms and prevents others from entering them and causing injury to a guest. It also keeps personal belongings secure, preventing theft.

What is premises liability?

While many hotels do their utmost to ensure their guest’s safety, some are negligent in their duty. A hotel can potentially be liable for any crime that occurs on the property, but some cases will be easier to prove than others.

This area of law is called “premises liability”, which can exist as long as it can be shown a hotel had a duty of care, and its failure to fulfill that duty contributed to the event. In other words, it must be proved a hotel has been negligent in its duty to ensure the safety of its guests

How can an attorney help?

In a premises liability case against a hotel, Grant Law Office will work to prove the hotel’s liability. This requires a skilled attorney as premises liability cases have many legal nuances. The firm will work to establish negligence on the part of a hotel, and represent you in pursuit of full compensation.

Hotels, and their insurance companies, will work to deny your case. They use certain strategies to defend themselves, which a skilled attorney knows how to counter. This is essential in ensuring you receive the full amount of compensation you deserve.

We will assess your case, explain your right to compensation and answer your questions. Call Grant Law Office today at (404) 995-3955.