Hotels sell safety with the room — and Philadelphia’s hospitality boom means more guests discovering what happens when the promise fails. Hotel cases combine premises law with hospitality-specific duties: security appropriate to the property, maintained facilities, and staff trained for the foreseeable.
The Recurring Hotel Cases
- Slip, trip, and fall — lobby floors, bathrooms, and worn stairs, under the notice framework of our slip and fall practice.
- Negligent security — assaults and thefts where lighting, locks, cameras, or staffing fell below what the property’s own incident history demanded.
- Pool and gym injuries — via our swimming pool practice, with unattended pools a recurring theme.
- Room hazards — scalds, furniture failures, bedbug infestations with documented harm.
What Guests Should Know
Report to management in writing and keep your copy — hotels document everything and hope you don’t. Out-of-town guests can litigate a Philadelphia hotel injury from home; the case stays where the hotel is, handled through the Philadelphia courts, while you participate remotely. Franchise structures (brand vs. owner vs. management company) determine who actually pays — mapping that is our job, not yours.
Frequently Asked Questions
The hotel offered to comp my stay. Should I take it?
A comped room is customer service, not compensation — and accepting it doesn’t waive anything, but statements you sign alongside it might. Take medical care first, sign nothing beyond an incident report, and keep every document.
I was assaulted in the parking structure. Is the hotel responsible?
Potentially — negligent security turns on foreseeability: prior incidents, lighting, patrols, and camera coverage. The property’s own records usually answer the question, which is why preservation demands go out immediately.
I live out of state. Is a Philadelphia claim practical?
Entirely — depositions and meetings run remotely, and we appear where the case is filed. Distance is the hotel’s hope, not your obstacle.
How long do I have to file?
Generally two years under Pennsylvania law — with a six-month written-notice requirement for claims against government entities and special rules for minors and late-discovered injuries. Evidence fades faster than any deadline.
What does hiring you cost?
No attorney’s fee unless we recover for you; the contingency percentage and case-cost handling are in the written fee agreement you review before signing. Consultations are free.
Ready to talk about your case? Call (215) 464-4600 or contact us online for a free, confidential consultation — contingency fee, no attorney’s fee unless we recover, costs explained in the written fee agreement.