With overnight stays now allowed in much of the UK, and many people being advised to not travel abroad, there is set to be a boom in UK travel, and staying in UK accommodation. But with this, the number of accidents in UK hotels may rise.
Occupier’s Liability Accidents in UK Hotels
Any private premises in the UK has an owner; someone who is responsible for keeping people who visit the premises safe. Private premises can be anything from shops to car parks. They also include UK hotels and other accommodation. Occupier’s liability is the area of law that deals with this duty of care and occupier’s liability accidents. It concerns anyone who owns a property that the public can visit.
Some common occupier’s liability accidents in UK hotels include:
- Slipping on wet surfaces with no wet floor sign
- Tripping over uneven floors or obstacles left in walkways
- Accidents in car parks due to bad lighting
- Malfunctioning lifts and automatic doors
These causes of accidents are easy to avoid. The owner of the premises should ensure that they put measures in place to avoid accidents like this from happening. They must ensure they follow rules set out in the Occupiers Liability Act 1957 to minimise the risk of accidents happening. If they fail to do this then they may be liable if someone has an accident on their premises.
Children’s Accidents in UK Hotels
Some of the most common occupier’s liability accidents involve children. This is no different for accidents in UK hotels. If children are visiting a UK hotel, then the owner must take extra care to minimise the risk of them having accidents. This is because children tend to be less careful than adults, which leads to more accidents.
If your child has an accident in a private place, then you may be able to make a claim on their behalf. If the child is under 18 then a parent or guardian may make the claim for them. They are known as a litigation friend. Any compensation will be held in a trust until the child turns 18.
The time limits for making a claim on behalf of a child slightly differ from those of an adult. Usually, the time limit for making a personal injury claim is three years from the date of the accident. However, where the accident involves a child, a parent or guardian may make a claim on their behalf until they turn 18. Once the child turns 18, they then have until their 21st birthday to make a claim for themselves.
How We Can Help
Here at The Compensation Experts we work with solicitors who have years of experience dealing with all manner of personal injury claims. This includes accidents in UK hotels, and other occupier’s liability claims. If you have had an accident of this kind, contact us today by filling in our contact form. Or call us on 01614138765 to speak to one of our friendly knowledgeable advisors.