You may not think of taking a shower as a hazardous activity. Still, injuries from falls in the bathroom, particularly when getting in and out of a shower or tub, are common occurrences. The materials people choose to make their bathrooms sleek and luxurious are also materials that become slick when wet.
At home, you may take certain precautions to keep from slipping in the bathroom. However, do you find the same precautions when you travel? Is the management or owner of a hotel required to provide those items? Were there any slip-resistant devices in the hotel bathroom when you slipped and fell?
You should know better
Some hotels believe the law protects them from liability if you slip and fall in their bathrooms because it is common knowledge that bathroom floors are slippery. However, numerous court rulings found just the opposite to be true. If hotel guests understand the dangers of a wet bathroom floor, then hotel management must also know and thus take precautions to protect their guests. You should be able to expect the hotel where you stay to provide the following:
- Appliques or a rubber mat on the floor of the shower or bathroom to prevent skidding
- A bathmat
- Handrails on the wall of the shower or tub
- Regular maintenance and repair or replacement of these slip-resistant devices
Georgia hospitality laws require these precautions, but other states may not. If the hotel where you fell did not provide these basic devices to protect you from an accident, you may be able to claim that the management failed in its duty to provide a reasonably safe environment.
Getting back on your feet
Slipping in the shower or tub is no laughing matter. Bathroom falls typically mean violent contact with hard surfaces, which may result in head trauma, hip or spinal injuries, neck fractures, or broken bones. If you suffered a serious injury when you fell, you may still be dealing with the after effects.
Fortunately, you don’t have to suffer alone. Many people who are injured from slipping and falling in hotel bathrooms find satisfaction in civil courts. Having a personal injury attorney assess your case will provide you with the information you need to determine the best course of action in pursuing potential compensation for your medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering.