If you were injured in a Reno hotel accident because of a hotel’s negligence, you can hold the hotel accountable for the harm you’ve suffered. Partner with a hotel accident lawyer in Reno who can help you review your legal options so you can find out how to get money from the hotel for your accident-related losses.
The team at Shook & Stone Injury Lawyers has over 150 years of combined experience fighting for clients and securing results following hotel accidents. Trust a Reno premises liability lawyer from our team to help you with your hotel accident case. We put your interests first and fight to protect your rights to ensure that you receive fair treatment in your case. Schedule a free case consultation with us to get started.
Why You Should Hire a Reno Hotel Accident Lawyer
Premises liability cases are incredibly complex. If you make a mistake as you deal with the aftermath of your hotel accident, you could hurt your chances of getting the money you need to recover from the incident. A Reno hotel accident attorney knows how to handle your case. We learn about your accident and the harm you have suffered, as we also gather evidence to support your case.
Ideally, the liable party’s insurance company will offer you a fair settlement for your losses. Unfortunately, this is not often the case. When the insurance company fails to cooperate or pay you what you deserve, a Reno personal injury lawyer from our team can bring your case to trial. Shook & Stone Injury Lawyers have the necessary experience and knowledge to effectively handle your case.
When you reach out to us for a free case consultation, we address personal injury FAQs and other questions and concerns relating to your hotel accident case. We discuss how we can handle your case and what strategies we can use based on your circumstances. Our team positions your case so you get the compensation you deserve and so it serves you well for the foreseeable future.
Factors Involved In Hotel Accidents Can Result in Serious Injuries
Reno hotels often see thousands of guests, which means that the risk of injury can be high. Hotels are obligated to keep their premises and amenities safe and maintained for their guests. When owners, hotel personnel, or third parties are negligent in their duties, guest safety can be compromised. These accidents can be caused by a variety of factors that may include:
- Slippery, uneven, or cluttered surfaces
- Broken fencing, stairs, and handrails
- Exposure to toxic fumes, chemicals, and other substances
- Broken elevators or escalators
- Swimming pool accidents
- Insufficient security personnel
- Broken or missing surveillance cameras
- Defective gym equipment or other products throughout the hotel
- Poor pet policies or screening
- Improper food handling procedures
These factors can cause injuries ranging from minor to fatal, depending on the circumstances involved in the accident. Injuries can include broken bones, head injuries, neck, spine, and back injuries, hip fractures, internal damage, burn injuries, and so much more. Not only can these accidents ruin your vacation, but they can also profoundly impact your life for a long time to come.
Protecting Yourself After a Hotel Accident in Reno is Essential
Given the seriousness of a hotel accident and the nuances of these cases, protecting yourself and your claim should be a top priority. Getting medical attention is one of the most beneficial ways you can care for yourself right after an accident. Swift treatment can help minimize your injuries and your recovery time. It also allows you to have your injuries documented for when you submit your insurance claim.
While a lawyer can help you gather evidence, there are still some forms that you should gather yourself. This begins with filing a police report, as well as taking photos of your injuries and the accident site. Gathering these and other forms of evidence can help make it harder for hotels and insurance companies to refuse your claim or treat you unfairly.
For maximum protection, though, you should talk with a hotel accident attorney in Reno who can help you determine if you should file a premises liability claim and make sure it’s strong. Shook & Stone Injury Lawyers know how to communicate and negotiate with these parties. We also know how they may try to push back. Hiring our team helps ensure that your rights are protected and that you’re more likely to get a better outcome.
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Hotels May Resist Taking Responsibility for Your Injuries
Hotels generally push back on personal injury claims because they know that if they are found liable, they may have to pay out for your losses. To avoid this, they may defend themselves by using a variety of tactics. Our lawyers carefully review their counterclaims so we can determine how to proceed with your case and secure you a favorable outcome. Some common defenses hotels may use include:
- Open and obvious doctrine: A defense that states that a reasonable person would have easily seen and avoided the hazard in question. Whether this was an inherent danger or something easily visible, hotels may use this doctrine as a reason to avoid liability.
- Insufficient knowledge of hazards: A premises liability case not only looks at a hotel’s actions, but it also looks at what they should have reasonably known. As such, a hotel may claim that it didn’t have reasonable knowledge of the danger that contributed to the accident.
- Waivers release them from liability: Hotels may use waivers to release themselves from liability. This may most commonly be used for hotel pools, hotel gyms, and other amenities. These waivers usually make guests agree to assume the risks of their activities.
- Victim was at fault: Hotels may blame you, the victim, for causing an accident. They may claim you were acting recklessly, failed to pay attention, were impaired by alcohol, and more. The purpose of this is to avoid responsibility or minimize their settlement liability.
- Injuries sustained before your hotel accident: Hotels may try to use pre-existing conditions as a way to get out of paying for your hotel accident injuries. They may claim that the accident or your current injuries were caused by your existing condition instead of by carelessness on their part.
These defenses make it more important than ever to have strong evidence that shows that hotel negligence was, in fact, the cause of your accident. Our lawyers aggressively fight and advocate for you so you aren’t negatively impacted by false accusations of fault. We make sure that your case is optimized through thorough documentation, customized strategies, and well-crafted arguments.
How Much a Reno Hotel Accident Case Is Worth
When you’ve been injured, it’s important to work with a hotel accident attorney in Reno with an outstanding track record of achieving results. Our team can provide a calculator for personal injury settlements and other tools to help you with your case. In addition, we can fiercely negotiate for you with the hotel and their insurance company so you don’t have to worry about the outcome of your case.
We encourage you to pursue economic and non-economic damages from any liable parties involved in your case. You may be entitled to recover medical expenses, damage to personal belongings, lost income, reduced quality of life, and pain and suffering. If the accident resulted in a fatality, then funeral and burial expenses may also be covered.
Do not wait to submit your compensation request, as Nevada gives you a short window for seeking damages. Per NRS 11.190(4)(e), you may have two years from the date of your hotel accident to sue a liable party. Beyond this period, you may be solely responsible for your accident-related losses. Be sure to consult a lawyer before assuming you may not have any options.
What to Expect if an Insurance Company Offers a Settlement
If you receive a hotel accident insurance settlement that seems too good to be true, resist the urge to accept the proposal immediately. Review the offer carefully and have a hotel accident attorney in Reno assess the proposal and explain what it entails. You could wind up accepting a lowball settlement that doesn’t cover your losses if you accept an unfair offer without allowing our team to review it first.
Remember, an insurance company’s focus is protecting its clients and its bottom line. They are unlikely to want to provide you with sufficient compensation for your hotel accident losses, and may contest your claim instead. The insurance company may also offer a settlement that is well short of what you deserve and pressure you to accept it right away.
To ensure you receive the proper support and a fair settlement in your case, your lawyer closely adheres to legal ethics and standards. If you choose to hire us, we advise you to take your case in front of a judge or jury if we feel it is in your best interests to do so. If your case requires a trial, we can also help you demonstrate that a hotel was negligent and should have to pay damages.
How a Reno Hotel Accident Lawyer Demonstrates Negligence in Your Case
It is not enough to say that a hotel is responsible for your accident and should compensate you for your losses. It must be backed up by evidence. The burden of proof is on you to connect them to what you’ve suffered. Our team can walk you through how this is accomplished and help you execute the process. We help you show the following elements of negligence so you can resolve your case:
- Duty of Care: The defendant had a legal obligation to avoid acts that could put you or other parties in danger.
- Breach of Duty of Care: They violated this obligation by committing an act of carelessness or recklessness.
- Causation: Because the defendant was careless or reckless, your hotel accident occurred, and you were injured.
- Damages: You are dealing with quantifiable or subjective losses due to the defendant’s actions.
Our team can use accident scene photos, statements from witnesses, surveillance camera footage, and other evidence to strengthen your case. Expect the defendant to commit time and resources to dispute your argument. They may even claim that you are partly liable for your accident so they can shift responsibility away from themselves, which can impact the outcome of your case.
The Role of Modified Comparative Negligence in a Hotel Accident Case
In a personal injury lawsuit, a plaintiff can be held partially responsible for their losses. This is the case if you take legal action against a hotel following an accident. A hotel may say you did something that contributed to your accident and injuries. If their argument is successful, you may get only a portion of the damages you request or none at all.
Based on NRS 41.141, modified comparative negligence applies to hotel accident lawsuits and other personal injury cases. With this, you may be found 1-50% liable for a hotel accident and get damages.
However, what you receive may be reduced by your percentage of fault. For example, if you are 10% liable, you may recover 90% of the damages you requested.
Modified comparative negligence keeps you from recovering damages if you contributed more than anyone else to a hotel accident. This means if you are more than 50% to blame for your hotel accident, you may be ineligible to receive damages. Because of this, it’s important to work with a hotel accident lawyer in Reno to give you the best chance at recovering maximum compensation in your case.
Give Us the Opportunity to Be Your Law Firm for Life
At Shook & Stone Injury Lawyers, we know what problems may come up if you attempt to go through the legal process alone. Our team is accessible throughout your hotel accident case proceedings.
We protect your best interests and legal rights and help you secure adequate compensation through an insurance claim or lawsuit. Contact us to talk with a Reno hotel accident attorney to learn more.