What You Should Do After an Accident at a Hotel or Motel

The last thing that you think of when you are planning your hotel stay is what to do if you are injured in an accident. You’re focused on your next day at work or simply may be vacationing. But accidents can happen and you may get hurt. Sometimes, the accident was not your fault and could have never happened. When this happens, you need to take immediate action and protect yourself. One way to do that is to call a hotel accident lawyer in New York, NY or Manhattan, NY that you can find to help you get the compensation and justice that you are deserving of.

Before you call a lawyer, there are steps you should take to help yourself. At the law firm of Michael J. Redenburg, Esq, PC. we have represented and assisted people from Manhattan and all the surrounding boroughs who were injured in accidents in New York. You can call us for your free consultation right away at 212-240-9465.

There are some common steps that every hotel accident victim should take following any type of hotel mishap. Too many times, valuable time and evidence may be lost when people assume that the responsible hotel owner will do what’s right. That assumption is logical based on the customer service that a lot of hotel guests are used to expecting.

When you are guest, the hotel staff usually go out of their way to make sure that you enjoy your visit and that you have a great experience. But it is important to remember that the hotels are in it for the money. A lot of hotels are successful and they did not become that way by forking over money to anyone who claims that they were hurt while staying at their hotel. At best, you can expect that the hotel will offer you some free hotel stays. At worst, a New York hotel can hide or destroy evidence.

In the first few minutes after any type of hotel accident in Manhattan, NY you really need to rely upon yourself to make sure that your potential claim is not destroyed or diluted. The following are a list of things that you should keep in mind if you or a loved one are injured while staying at a hotel in New York, NY.

Steps to Take After a Hotel Injury in New York

Accidents can take all forms at a New York City hotel.

So, what should you do if you are injured at a hotel in New York City? Here are some essential steps to keep in mind:

• Get medical care, and if necessary, call 911 or at least ask for medical assistance. We all know that most people will just shrug it off or even be embarrassed after a hotel accident. But you should not surmise that everything will be all right. At a minimum, let a physician check you out and see if anything is wrong. If you are injured, then listen to your doctors and follow their instructions. Collect paperwork so that you may share that with your hotel accident attorney later.
• Ask for the manager or security and make a report. Understand that hotels are not under any legal duty to make a report following any type of claimed accident. However, in reality, nearly all motels and hotels should make a report once they are notified of any type of incident or accident especially where someone is claiming to be injured. Most insurance companies require the hotel or motel to have safety procedures as well as risk management policies which almost always include making a report. So, insist on speaking with a manager or at least security and tell them that you want to make a report following your hotel accident. Get that person’s full name and a description of the person you speak to.
• When you make the Incident Report, stick to the facts. The purpose of filing an incident report is to make a record of the fact that you were injured at the hotel. It is not the time for any admissions, excuses or explanations. Understand that any concessions or admissions that you make to a hotel manager or security guard might end up being used against you at some point in time later in the claim process or litigation and trial. Therefore, it is extremely important that you report the incident or accident and what happened to you and where you are hurt. Any discussion of cause or fault or liability can take place at a later time.
• Ask for a copy of the incident report. Again, hotels and motels are not required by law to provide you with a copy of an incident report. Some will and some won’t. But it doesn’t hurt to ask. If you do get a copy, make sure that you save it so that you can provide it to your hotel accident lawyer. If the hotel or motel manager refuses to give you a copy, make yourself a note of who you talked to, a description of the person, such as age, race, height, weight and gender. Be nice and respectful. Following an accident where you are hurt at a hotel or motel is not the time to raise your voice, express anger or otherwise act in an aggressive fashion. After any type of hotel accident, not only your actions but your demeanor and the words that you speak may be used in an adverse way against you in settlement negotiations or even at trial.
• Locate and identify any potential witnesses. Maybe the people you are with saw what happened. Maybe other guests or hotel employees observed what happened to you. Anything you can do to identify potential witnesses may be of great value to your case at a later date. If you do identify potential witnesses, politely ask for their names and contact information so that your hotel accident lawyer and investigator can contact them in the future. It could be as simple as exchanging text messages at the scene. Our hotel accident lawyers always remind our clients, their family and their friends that sometimes we rely on the kindness of witnesses and that we should also keep that in mind if we witness other people who get injured in any type of accident. We hope that people will step forward for us and likewise, we should not hesitate to step forward for others.
• Surveillance cameras. If you have the chance, look to see if there are any surveillance cameras in or around the area where you were hurt. Hotels and motels usually have surveillance cameras for a variety of reasons including loss prevention, fraud and criminal act prevention. Be sure to discuss this with your hotel accident lawyer at your first meeting.
• Photographs and/or video can be very valuable. Most of us have awesome smart- phones which can capture incredibly accurate photographs and videotape after your hotel or motel accident and injury. Friends and family might also be of assistance. You should never assume that the hotel or motel will preserve evidence unless you or your lawyer make such request in writing.

NYC Personal Injury Lawyers Helping Hotel and Motel Accident Victims

At the law firm of Michael J. Redenburg, Esq., PC our attorneys are ready, willing and able to help you following any type of hotel or motel accident. You can speak to us right now by dialing 212-240-9465. All you need to do is reach out to us and let us help you get the compensation and justice that you deserve.