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Minnesota Hotel Accident Lawyer

Hurt During a Minnesota Hotel Stay? We Hold Negligent Hotels and Resorts Accountable for Dangerous Conditions and Injuries to Their Guests.

A stay at a hotel should be fun, relaxing, and safe. Unfortunately, when something goes wrong, a vacation or a business trip can turn into an emergency medical situation. If you or someone you love suffered harm while staying at a hotel, motel, resort, or vacation rental in Minnesota, you could be entitled to recover compensation for your injuries. At Bradshaw & Bryant, we can help injured guests fight back and hold negligent parties accountable. Call our Minnesota hotel accident lawyers now.

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Types of hotel accidents and injuries

Hotel accident injuries can happen in countless ways. However, there are a few types of hotel or resort injuries that might be more common in Minnesota, including:

  • Slip, trip, and fall accidents: Wet floors, loose carpeting, icy parking lots, and poorly lit stairs are all potential hazards that can leave a hotel guest injured.
  • Assaults and robberies: While a hotel might not be liable for any bad actor who carries out a robbery or assault on their property, if it’s clear that the hotel had inadequate security or faulty locks, they might bear some responsibility.
  • Burn injuries: Defective room appliances, exposed pipes, or scalding water can cause severe injuries to hotel guests.
  • Food poisoning: Hotel and resort restaurants may cause food poisoning cases if they improperly store or prepare meals for guests.
  • Elevator or escalator injuries: Poorly maintained elevators or escalators may cause injuries.
  • Swimming pool accidents or drownings: If hotels have pools that lack supervision or safety features to prevent injuries and drownings, they may be liable.
  • Injuries from collapsing furniture or broken fixtures: A broken chair or loose fixture could injure a hotel guest, leading to liability for the resort or hotel.
  • Exposure to mold or toxic substances in rooms: Hotels that are not well-maintained, suffer from water damage, or have other issues may have a buildup of mold that could pose severe health risks to guests. Hotels may also be liable for carbon monoxide poisoning.
  • Injuries during hotel-sponsored excursions or on-site activities: Resorts or hotels that host events may face liability if someone suffers injuries in the course of those activities.
  • Sexual assaults: Hotels that fail to restrict, address, and provide for emergency call assistance may be liable if a hotel employee, a visitor, or another guest rapes or sexually assaults anyone who stays in a hotel.
  • Defective equipment: Many hotels provide exercise equipment for their guests. They may be liable if the equipment is dangerous or if the hotel fails to warn guests of the potential dangers of using the equipment.

Examples of negligence in Minnesota hotels

Hotel negligence in Minnesota can manifest in various forms, resulting in hazardous hotel conditions. Some ways that hotels might be negligent in Minnesota include:

  • Failing to perform routine inspections or maintenance
  • Neglecting to train or improperly training staff
  • Failing to perform background checks on staff members
  • Not providing adequate lighting in hallways, stairwells, or parking garages
  • Not hiring security personnel at large or high-risk venues
  • Failing to fix broken locks or doors in guest rooms
  • Not marking or providing warnings of hazards (slippery floors, electrical cords, uneven pavement)
  • Allowing the use of unsafe balconies or windows, especially in high-rise hotels

Your Minnesota hotel accident lawyer can help you investigate the accident and possible legal grounds for your claim.

Who is liable for hotel guest injuries?

Liability for hotel injuries in Minnesota can fall on several parties. In many claims, multiple parties will be defendants who may share fault for the injuries. Some of the potentially responsible parties include:

  • Hotel owners and corporate operators
  • Property management companies
  • Maintenance contractors or cleaning crews
  • Security companies hired by the hotel
  • Third-party vendors (tour operators, food services)

Under Minnesota premises liability law, hotels are obligated to provide a reasonable standard of care to their guests. Failing to do so can result in liability. However, it’s not uncommon that the hotel guest who suffers injuries may share liability as well. Fortunately, Minn. Stat. § 604.01 states that comparative fault does not prevent recovery unless the victim is more at fault than the hotel. In other words, if you are 50% or less at fault, you will be able to recover damages for your injuries. However, if you are more than 50% responsible for your own injuries, you can’t recover anything.

If you are 50% or less at fault, the court will reduce your damages based on your assigned amount of fault. For example, if you are 40% at fault, you can only recover 60% of your total damages.

What to do after a hotel accident in Minnesota

The most important thing to do after any accident is to seek medical attention. There are other steps to take after a hotel injury, including:

  • Report the incident: Following an injury at a hotel, you should immediately report the accident to a hotel staff member or security personnel and ask them for a written report.
  • Seek medical attention: Getting in to see a doctor quickly is important for several reasons. Injuries are sometimes more severe than you might initially assume, and also, if you delay treatment, that decision could lead to scrutiny over whether you were seriously injured.
  • Take photos or videos: Document the hazard, injuries, and the surrounding area. After the initial accident, the staff may fix the issues that led to the accident, so early documentation is critical.
  • Get witness contact information: If anyone saw what happened or the conditions prior to the incident, ask them for their contact information. You may need witnesses to help build your case.
  • Preserve your documents: Keep everything related to your case, including the booking information, receipts, and any written communications between you and the hotel or resort.
  • Avoid signing waivers or releases: Before signing anything, speak to an attorney. You don’t want to sign something that prevents your claim from moving forward.
  • Call Bradshaw & Bryant: It’s always best to start moving forward with your claim as soon as possible. Building a strong claim is easier when the evidence is fresh.

Can I still sue if I signed a hotel waiver?

If you signed a hotel liability waiver in Minnesota and then suffered injuries, you might be wondering if you can still file a claim. Many hotels use check-in documents, activity waivers, or excursion disclaimers to try to avoid responsibility. However, your attorney can challenge their attempts to waive their responsibilities. It’s often difficult or impossible for companies to waive their responsibility for negligence. If you are concerned, please keep those documents and bring them to your attorney immediately.

Types of compensation available in hotel injury lawsuits

In a successful personal injury case, including those involving hotel liability in Minnesota, you might be able to recover:

  • Medical expenses (past and future)
  • Lost wages and reduced earning potential
  • Pain and suffering
  • Emotional distress or psychological trauma
  • Loss of enjoyment of life
  • Permanent disability or disfigurement

Families may be able to recover wrongful death damages for fatal incidents.

What if the hotel is part of a national or international chain?

Suing a hotel chain can be intimidating. These large corporations have their own teams of attorneys looking out for their interests. However, with your own lawyer in your corner, you can effectively challenge them. In the case of hotel chains that are national or international, you can still sue them in Minnesota under the right circumstances. Essentially, the hotel must do business in Minnesota or have “minimum contacts” with the state. If you have questions about jurisdiction and your ability to sue, contact Bradshaw & Bryant. We partner with nationally recognized experts and litigation teams that enable us to pursue cross-border hotel claims.

Our Minnesota hotel injury lawyers represent injury victims who live in Minnesota, any other US State,  the District of Columbia, and any other country – if they suffer harm while staying at a Minnesota hotel.

Why you need a Minnesota hotel injury lawyer

Hiring a Minnesota hotel accident lawyer can help you fight for the compensation you deserve. Remember that hotels and resorts often have corporate legal teams and powerful insurers who are going to work to avoid responsibility or limit the amount of compensation they must pay you. At Bradshaw & Bryant, PLLC we can assist you in several ways. Some of what we can do for you includes:

  • Investigate and document the hotel’s failure to keep guests safe
  • Investigate if there is any security footage
  • Preserve evidence about your injuries before it is lost or erased
  • Negotiate directly with insurance companies for a fair settlement
  • Take the case to trial if necessary

It’s our job to handle the legal work so that you and your family can focus on healing.

Why choose Bradshaw & Bryant for your hotel injury case?

The experienced lawyers at Bradshaw & Bryant have decades of experience fighting for the rights and futures of injury victims in Minnesota. We’ve recovered millions for our clients throughout Minneapolis, St. Cloud and statewide. Our compassionate team offers each client personalized attention and care, and you never have to pay unless your case reaches a successful resolution.

Do you have a hotel injury lawyer near me?

Yes. Bradshaw & Bryant serves clients across Minnesota, including from our office at 1505 Division St, Waite Park, MN 56387. If you are too injured to make it to our office, we can often come to you or schedule a virtual or phone consultation.

Contact our Minnesota hotel accident lawyers for a free consultation

If you sustained injuries at a hotel in Minnesota, don’t wait. The sooner you reach out, the better our chances are of building the strongest case possible. Call us today, or fill out our online contact form to schedule a free case review. We’re here to help you get the justice and compensation you deserve.