Bell hop's inaction cited in premises liability lawsuit

Many California residents travel regularly for work or pleasure. The majority of these individuals stay in hotels or motels. At many large hotels, it's customary for an employee commonly referred to as a bell hop to assist overnight visitors and hotel guests with their baggage. While certainly considered a nice gesture, a recent premises liability lawsuit raises the question of whether or not a hotel is liable for not helping a hotel guest with their baggage.

A California woman recently filed a premises liability lawsuit against a large hotel chain related to a fall injury she sustained while struggling with her luggage. According to the lawsuit, the woman and her husband were staying at one of the business's hotels. Upon wheeling their luggage into the hotel lobby, the women asserts neither she nor her husband were offered any help by the hotel bell hops.

The couple was forced to struggle with their luggage and haul the large and heavy suitcases onto a moving escalator. Upon attempting to stabilize her large suitcase, the woman was thrown off balance and fell backward. As a result of her fall accident, the woman sustained numerous and painful injuries to various body parts.

She recently filed a lawsuit against the owners of the hotel chain in which she asserts the fall injury resulted in her suffering permanent disability. Additionally, the woman claims loss of companionship with her husband and family as well as an overall loss of enjoyment in normal daily activities. She is seeking to recover damages in excess of $50,000 related to medical expenses and her permanent injuries.

Source: The Louisiana Record, "Hyatt Regency Hotel sued after woman falls on escalator," Tia Benton, May 22, 2013