Slip and Fall Accidents in Hotels – Premises Liability in Myrtle Beach, SC

Slip and fall accidents are common in hotels, including the hundreds of hotels in Myrtle Beach, SC, and the surrounding areas in Horry County and Georgetown County.

In this article, we will discuss the basics of slip and fall cases in hotels, including:

• How to prove negligence in a slip and fall case,
• Common hazards found in hotels that may cause injuries, and
• Other types of premises liability cases in Myrtle Beach hotels.

Slip and Fall Accidents in Hotels – Proving Negligence

In most cases, the property owner has a duty to keep their premises safe and, if they know about a hazardous condition or should have known about the hazardous condition, they have a duty to either correct the dangerous condition or warn people about it.

Notice

In most cases, the property owner must be placed on notice that there is a slippery substance on the floor or other dangerous conditions that would cause a slip and fall in the hotel.

The notice can be actual or constructive notice. For example, suppose ice and snow have been tracked into a hotel lobby, and someone slips in it before the hotel staff becomes aware there is a problem. In that case, the hotel will argue that there is no liability because they were not placed on notice that there was a hazard.

When is notice not required?

In a “created danger” slip and fall case, where the employees are aware of the dangerous condition because they caused it, as opposed to a situation where a customer creates the hazard and the employees are unaware, the plaintiff doesn’t need to prove notice.

Common Slip and Fall Hazards in Hotels

There are hundreds of possible causes for slip and fall accidents in hotels. Some of the more common hazards include:

• Wet floors. Spilled coffee or other drinks, rainwater or ice tracked in from outside, freshly mopped floors, or any kind of wet surface can result in a slip and fall accident.
• Torn carpeting or rugs. Torn, upturned, or bowed carpeting and rugs can cause you to unexpectedly lose your balance.
• Wiring. Wires and cords for PA equipment or other uses can create a trip hazard and result in serious injuries at hotels.
• Unmarked slick surfaces. To guard against slip and falls, hotel employees must reasonably warn guests of wet surfaces. For example, when mopping the floor, employees will use the yellow “caution” signs.
• Cracks in pavement. While walking to your car or waiting for a hotel shuttle, you may encounter dangerous cracks in the parking lot or sidewalk or unexpected, unmarked curbs.
• Inadequate railings. Loose, broken, or otherwise inadequate railings that violate building codes can cause guests to slip on stairs or elevated surfaces.

Be vigilant as you walk through Myrtle Beach hotels, be aware of your surroundings, and do what you can to avoid a slip and fall accident. If you slip and fall due to a hazardous condition on the property, however, call your personal injury attorney on the Axelrod team immediately.

What is the Duty of Care of a Hotel to Prevent Slip and Fall Accidents?

South Carolina hotels and other businesses have a duty to protect guests on their premises. In upholding this duty, the hotel must regularly inspect the premises and correct any unsafe or hazardous conditions.

When you become injured, you must prove both that a dangerous condition caused your accident and that the hotel knew of the existence of this condition. The extent of the hotel owner’s duty to you depends on your legal status in relation to the hotel, however.

Invitees

If you are on the premises for the benefit of the hotel – at the hotel’s express or implied invitation, the hotel has a duty to make the premises reasonably safe for you.

If you are staying the night as the hotel’s guest, or on the premises for purposes of paying for a room or another service provided by the hotel, you are an “invitee.” The hotel must 1) make the premises safe, 2) warn of unsafe conditions, and 3) correct unsafe conditions whenever possible.

Licensees

If you are on the premises of the hotel for your own benefit, you are probably a “licensee.” Although a licensee has permission to be on the property, they have not been invited to the property.

For example, “licensees” would include a salesman who is marketing their product to the hotel’s management. The hotel still owes a duty of care to licensees, but it is a lower duty of care than that owed to invitees.

Trespassers

Hotels do not owe any duty of care to most trespassers – anyone who has been placed on notice that they must leave the property, and they do not have permission to be there.

There are some exceptions, including children under the theory of “attractive nuisance” when the property owner should have known children would be attracted to a feature of the property like a swimming pool.

Other Premises Liability Claims at Myrtle Beach Hotels

Premises liability claims at Myrtle Beach hotels include much more than slip and fall accident cases.

Hotels have a duty to make their property safe for invitees and licensees, and they are responsible for any injuries caused by their negligence, whether it is a “slip and fall,” a “trip and fall,” an animal attack, a swimming pool death or injury, a wrong committed by a hotel employee, or any unsafe condition on the property.

Got Axelrod?

If you were injured at a Myrtle Beach hotel, your Myrtle Beach slip and fall attorney at Axelrod and Associates will investigate the accident and help you to get the maximum compensation that you are entitled to receive under the facts of your case and SC law.

Schedule a free consultation with a personal injury lawyer on the Axelrod team today. Call us at 843-258-4254 or fill out our contact form to set up a free initial consultation about your case.