SAFETY AND PRIVACY OF HOTEL GUESTS IS A TOP PRIORITY; ARE YOU REALLY SAFE WHEN YOU CHECK INTO YOUR HOME AWAY FROM HOME - A PENNSYLVANIA PERSONAL INJURY LAWYER SHARES HIS THOUGHTS
The safety and privacy of hotel guests should be the top priority for hotel owners and operators. Many times, this simply is not the case. Many hotels, cruise ships and apartment homes are actually full of poorly lit corridors, tunnels, nooks and crannies, and other places were crimes can be and are easily committed. Lack of security in hotels, motels, apartment houses and on cruise ships is a big issue for the tourism and rental housing industry and also an issue that we do not often hear too much about. Usually when we do hear about it, an easily avoidable tragedy has occurred.
Recently, a hotel security guard, with an unrevealed lengthy arrest record, sexually assaulted a teenage occupant of a hotel in Panama City Beach, Florida and then threw his victim from a sixth floor balcony, according to Panama City Florida police. The girl hit two lower roofs, landing in a second floor stairwell, suffering serious injuries. The security guard was questioned by police and released without realizing that he was wanted on an outstanding warrant from the State of Indiana. This attack happened at 1:00 a.m. at a Panama City Beach resort where the security guard was on duty and supposed to be protecting guests from such an event. Research after the violent crime indicated that the security guard had an extensive criminal history, including convictions for burglary, escape, auto theft and receiving stolen property, as well as shoplifting and marijuana possession charges. (article)
Hotel owners, apartment owners and cruise ship operators must be oriented towards security of their guests in today’s world and they must insure that the proper security equipment is installed, maintained and regularly used, and that security guards have their employment and criminal backgrounds properly checked. Technology is an important part in meeting today’s security requirements. Surprisingly, a survey conducted of hotel managers by The Cornell School of Hotel Administration revealed that most hotels made no changes to safety and security staffing or procedures in the year following the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Many times horrific injuries and incidences occur at hotels and motels due to poor lighting, inadequate security, locks that do not function, and the lack of easily affordable and available technological security devices such as closed circuit cameras. Because of such inadequate security, many unsuspecting guests are robbed, shot, killed, rape, stabbed or assaulted in hotels, motels, shopping malls, apartment parking lots, office buildings, condos and/or cruise ships.
In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and Nationally, hotel owners and hotel managers must take all reasonable and necessary steps to make sure that injuries and deaths do not occur to patrons, visitors and workers while on their property. Hotels have a general duty to reasonably protect guests from harm caused by other guests or non-guests and they have an affirmative duty to make their premises reasonably safe. These duties include but are not limited to preventing injury from open hazards, as well as hidden dangers. Hotel operators are obligated to install proper lighting in hallways, stairwells, parking lots and other dark areas and must make sure that the locks on all doors are working properly. They must limit any fire hazards and other potentially hazardous situations to protect patrons and workers from getting hurt or killed.
Since 1979, the experienced inadequate security lawyers at the Pennsylvania personal injury law firm of Reiff and Bily have aggressively represented clients that have been injured on other peoples premises, including hotels, motels, inns, apartment homes, shopping malls, casinos and cruise ships. We have been able to successfully prove that a breakdown in the property owner’s or operator’s security system not only can encourage criminal activity but can also result in the property owner or operators liability to the crime victim for negligence. Our attorneys and investigators carefully analyze the circumstances of the personal injury and personal offense and work with law enforcement and independent investigators to perform our own investigation to determine whether or not an inadequate security concern led to the criminal offense. We also examine past incidences of victim abuse at the location or surrounding areas that should have put the property owner on actual or constructive notice that the facility was potentially dangerous to customers or visitors.
If a commercial property owner is aware of a crime in the immediate or surrounding area, they have an obligation to take steps to secure their premises such as hiring highly qualified security guards, as well as implementing safety procedures to insure the safety of their customers. Security guards should be subjected to a careful background check and follow a mandated security protocol to ensure visitors safety in commercial or residential buildings. Many times we find that the security force is outright negligent in their basic performance of their duties and tasks which results in serious crimes being perpetrated under their watch. As a result, the property owner is legally responsible for any harm suffered by the unsuspecting residents or patrons. Many times extensive discovery and investigation will easily reveal that an entry or breech of security was easily prevented and therefore the owner of the property is civilly liable to an injured party for monetary damages.
At the Pennsylvania inadequate security law firm of Reiff and Bily, we are experienced in handling negligent security cases on behalf of the victims of physical assault or robbery. If you suffered a physical injury or robbery because of negligent security, we will begin an immediate investigation in your case to preserve evidence and properly prepare your case. If you would like a free consultation, please feel free to contact us to discuss your rights in a negligent security breech case. Please contact us at 1-800-421-9595 or www.reiffandbily.com.
