Category Archives: Injuries

by | May 4, 2012 · 10:13 am

Hospitality Industry Legal Risks: California Restaurant Found "40% Liable" In $2.5 Million Jury Award To Woman Who Had "Chicken Bone" Stuck In Her Throat While Eating

“…In a verdict delivered April 26 in Contra Costa County, a jury determined Foster Farms, which supplied the poultry for the chicken strips on the pizza, was 60 percent liable for her injuries and Pizza Bytes, which runs several Round Table restaurants in the San Francisco area, was 40 percent responsible…”

A California jury has ordered a poultry producer and a pizza restaurant franchisee to pay $2.5 million to a woman who got a chicken bone stuck in her throat. Calla Felicity, 59, told the Contra Costa Times damage from the bone has turned her from a healthy woman to someone who becomes completely exhausted after walking two blocks. She said she spent 33 days in the hospital immediately after the injury in 2010 with 11 operations and has been back in the hospital several times.

Felicity was eating a barbecued chicken pizza with her mother at a Round Table restaurant in South San Francisco when the bone got stuck.

Read more: http://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2012/05/04/Woman-awarded-25M-for-chicken-bone/UPI-68391336149120/#ixzz1tvRtzM61

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by | April 23, 2012 · 10:50 am

Hospitality Industry Legal Risks: Texas Hotel Sued By Man For "Negligence" After Breaking Ankle In Hotel Lobby

“…(Plaintiff) fell on a slippery marble floor near the lobby area of the hotel…(he) is seeking damages and court costs…”

A native of the Netherlands is suing after he broke his ankle at a Memorial-area hotel.  Harry Kanters filed a lawsuit on Tuesday, April 17 in the Harris County District Court against American Liberty Hospitality and Hilton Garden Inn/Houston Galleria in Memorial, citing negligence.

Kanters says on April 18, 2010, he broke his ankle while staying as a guest at the Hilton Garden Inn Galleria, located at 3201 Sage Road in Memorial.

He is being represented in the case by Southlake attorney Gregory Jones.

For more: http://www.ultimatememorial.com/stories/354485-courts-memorial-hotel-blamed-for-broken-ankle

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by | · 10:50 am

Hospitality Industry Legal Risks: Texas Hotel Sued By Man For "Negligence" After Breaking Ankle In Hotel Lobby

“…(Plaintiff) fell on a slippery marble floor near the lobby area of the hotel…(he) is seeking damages and court costs…”

A native of the Netherlands is suing after he broke his ankle at a Memorial-area hotel.  Harry Kanters filed a lawsuit on Tuesday, April 17 in the Harris County District Court against American Liberty Hospitality and Hilton Garden Inn/Houston Galleria in Memorial, citing negligence.

Kanters says on April 18, 2010, he broke his ankle while staying as a guest at the Hilton Garden Inn Galleria, located at 3201 Sage Road in Memorial.

He is being represented in the case by Southlake attorney Gregory Jones.

For more: http://www.ultimatememorial.com/stories/354485-courts-memorial-hotel-blamed-for-broken-ankle

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by | April 22, 2012 · 7:20 am

Hospitality Industry Property Risks: Texas Motel Damaged By "Wind-Fueled Fire" That Momentarily Traps Firefighters; Firewall Proves Useless In Windy Conditions

“With the winds, even if you have firewalls, if somebody puts a cable hole — every little breach of a firewall for cable, electric, whatever is going to be a void. That firewall’s not intact anymore.”

San Antonio firefighters had a close call Friday afternoon when the rear of a burning motel collapsed on them. Crews responded to the fire reported at the Studio 6 motel at Highway 281 and Rhapsody to find flames shooting through the structure, according to WOAI-TV.

The wind-fueled fire originated on the first floor of the hotel, extended to the attic and then spread to a neighboring building. Fire Chief Charles Hood said that his firefighters had to rely on their training when the blaze quickly became out of control and a Mayday was called.

“That’s one of those moments when your heart just goes to your feet because we have reports of firefighters trapped,” he told the news station. Luckily, all of the firefighters made it out safely and no injuries were sustained.

Hood said that winds played a big role in helping the fire grow, and that if the building did have firewall, they wouldn’t have stopped it. Around 100 firefighters were on the scene and after the collapse, crews switched to a defensive fire attack to put out the blaze.

For more:  http://www.firehouse.com/news/10704188/san-antonio-firefighters-have-close-call-at-motel-blaze

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by | · 7:20 am

Hospitality Industry Property Risks: Texas Motel Damaged By "Wind-Fueled Fire" That Momentarily Traps Firefighters; Firewall Proves Useless In Windy Conditions

“With the winds, even if you have firewalls, if somebody puts a cable hole — every little breach of a firewall for cable, electric, whatever is going to be a void. That firewall’s not intact anymore.”

San Antonio firefighters had a close call Friday afternoon when the rear of a burning motel collapsed on them. Crews responded to the fire reported at the Studio 6 motel at Highway 281 and Rhapsody to find flames shooting through the structure, according to WOAI-TV.

The wind-fueled fire originated on the first floor of the hotel, extended to the attic and then spread to a neighboring building. Fire Chief Charles Hood said that his firefighters had to rely on their training when the blaze quickly became out of control and a Mayday was called.

“That’s one of those moments when your heart just goes to your feet because we have reports of firefighters trapped,” he told the news station. Luckily, all of the firefighters made it out safely and no injuries were sustained.

Hood said that winds played a big role in helping the fire grow, and that if the building did have firewall, they wouldn’t have stopped it. Around 100 firefighters were on the scene and after the collapse, crews switched to a defensive fire attack to put out the blaze.

For more:  http://www.firehouse.com/news/10704188/san-antonio-firefighters-have-close-call-at-motel-blaze

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by | April 21, 2012 · 6:46 am

Hospitality Industry Health Risks: California Hotel Sued For $6 Million By Man Who Contracted Legionnaires' Disease From Hotel's Water System; Tests Confirm Bacteria Sickened Six People Resulting In One Death

“…In October 2011, the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene confirmed the Legionella bacteria was present in water collected from various locations at the Plim Plaza. Six people were sickened with Legionnaires’ disease; one of them later died…”

The lawsuit alleges that the hotel was negligent in its failure to “adequately inspect, monitor and maintain” its water system.

(The Plaintiff)…went on to spend six weeks in the hospital, during which he experienced renal failure, septic shock and respiratory failure, according to the complaint. His medical bills exceeded $200,000 by the time he was discharged on Sept. 24.

A Virginia man who contracted Legionnaires’ Disease in Ocean City last summer is suing the Plim Plaza Hotel for $6 million.

Virginia resident Pat Eldon Dent Jr., and his wife, Martha Dent, filed a lawsuit against the historic Boardwalk hotel in U.S. District Court in Baltimore on April 18. The lawsuit, which names Plim Plaza Hotel Inc. and the Hale and John Harrison Partnership as defendants, seeks $5 million for negligence and $1 million for loss of consortium.

The lawsuit alleges the hotel’s water system was contaminated with unsafe levels of the Legionella bacteria while Dent and his wife stayed there between July 29, 2011, and Aug. 1, 2011. After returning to his home on Aug. 1, Dent began to feel feverish and on Aug. 10 was admitted to Winchester Medical Center and diagnosed with Legionnaires’ disease, according to the seven-page complaint filed by Rockville attorney Ronald Karp.

For more:  http://www.delmarvanow.com/article/20120421/WCT01/204210346/Virginia-man-who-contracted-Legionnaires-files-lawsuit-against-OC-hotel

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by | April 20, 2012 · 1:52 am

Hospitality Industry Guest Safety Risks: Houston Hotel Sued By Parents Of Young Girl Injured By Restaurant's "Rotating Floors"

“…(they) are suing for damages that include emergency room expenses, future surgeries to “restore the normal appearance of Erin’s foot” and prescription drugs as well as “likely permanent disfigurement” of the child’s foot. She was involved in dance classes prior to the incident…”

They allege in the lawsuit that Hyatt and Spindletop failed to use reasonable care to make the restaurant safe, primarily by failing to “remedy and warn of a serious safety hazard that was especially dangerous to small children.”

Set at the very top of the Hyatt Regency Houston hotel downtown, Spindletop is a popular destination for date nights and special occasions. The rotating floors in the restaurant spin guests slowly around for impeccable views of the city skyline, making Spindletop a draw since it first opened in 1972. But those rotating floors ended up creating a nightmarish scenario for one couple, who allege in a lawsuit that their 4-year-old’s foot became lodged between two rotating platforms, causing serious injuries.

The couple, Dehong Shen and Min Zhang, filed a lawsuit against Spindletop and its parent company, the Hyatt corporation, on April 17. In the filing, Shen and Zhang accuse the restaurant of gross negligence for failing to prevent the injury to their child and for failing to provide sufficient assistance to the family when the toddler’s leg became stuck.

For more:  http://blogs.houstonpress.com/eating/2012/04/spindletop_lawsuit_rotating_floor_child_injured.php

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by | · 1:52 am

Hospitality Industry Guest Safety Risks: Houston Hotel Sued By Parents Of Young Girl Injured By Restaurant's "Rotating Floors"

“…(they) are suing for damages that include emergency room expenses, future surgeries to “restore the normal appearance of Erin’s foot” and prescription drugs as well as “likely permanent disfigurement” of the child’s foot. She was involved in dance classes prior to the incident…”

They allege in the lawsuit that Hyatt and Spindletop failed to use reasonable care to make the restaurant safe, primarily by failing to “remedy and warn of a serious safety hazard that was especially dangerous to small children.”

Set at the very top of the Hyatt Regency Houston hotel downtown, Spindletop is a popular destination for date nights and special occasions. The rotating floors in the restaurant spin guests slowly around for impeccable views of the city skyline, making Spindletop a draw since it first opened in 1972. But those rotating floors ended up creating a nightmarish scenario for one couple, who allege in a lawsuit that their 4-year-old’s foot became lodged between two rotating platforms, causing serious injuries.

The couple, Dehong Shen and Min Zhang, filed a lawsuit against Spindletop and its parent company, the Hyatt corporation, on April 17. In the filing, Shen and Zhang accuse the restaurant of gross negligence for failing to prevent the injury to their child and for failing to provide sufficient assistance to the family when the toddler’s leg became stuck.

For more:  http://blogs.houstonpress.com/eating/2012/04/spindletop_lawsuit_rotating_floor_child_injured.php

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by | April 18, 2012 · 6:40 am

Hospitality Industry Legal Risks: Colorado Hotel Sued By Woman "Bitten By A Vicious Dog" Owned By Hotel Guest; Written "Pet Care Policies" Not Followed According To Lawsuit

“…The lawsuit claims that employees at The Little Nell hotel, which provided dog-sitting services for Babu, knew the dog had violent tendencies…”

“The Little Nell’s Guide to Petiquette,” a set of written policies governing pet care and behavior at the hotel, required that a problem dog such as Babu either be removed from the premises or have a sitter overseeing it at all times, the lawsuit said, according to the Times. The lawsuit accuses the hotel of failing to follow its policy…”

The Aspen Skiing Co. and a New York socialite couple are defendants in a lawsuit that accuses them of keeping a vicious dog that bit a woman at the Gondola Plaza. Beth Fischer, of Aspen, filed a complaint Monday in Pitkin County District Court saying she has racked up more than $200,000 in medical bills after a black Labrador retriever bit her on Sept. 18, according to the Aspen Times.

She has had multiple surgeries to her hand and resulting staph infections because of the attack, the lawsuit said. Fischer’s lawsuit said that she was walking in the Gondola Plaza, near the outdoor tables at Starbucks, when a black Labrador named Babu Sarofim “leapt up from its position and lunged directly” at her, biting her left hand.

“Fischer was able to free her left hand from Babu’s mouth and she immediately realized she was injured and bleeding from the dog bite,” the lawsuit said. A woman who witnessed the attack called 911.

For more: http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/30907562/detail.html

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by | · 6:40 am

Hospitality Industry Legal Risks: Colorado Hotel Sued By Woman "Bitten By A Vicious Dog" Owned By Hotel Guest; Written "Pet Care Policies" Not Followed According To Lawsuit

“…The lawsuit claims that employees at The Little Nell hotel, which provided dog-sitting services for Babu, knew the dog had violent tendencies…”

“The Little Nell’s Guide to Petiquette,” a set of written policies governing pet care and behavior at the hotel, required that a problem dog such as Babu either be removed from the premises or have a sitter overseeing it at all times, the lawsuit said, according to the Times. The lawsuit accuses the hotel of failing to follow its policy…”

The Aspen Skiing Co. and a New York socialite couple are defendants in a lawsuit that accuses them of keeping a vicious dog that bit a woman at the Gondola Plaza. Beth Fischer, of Aspen, filed a complaint Monday in Pitkin County District Court saying she has racked up more than $200,000 in medical bills after a black Labrador retriever bit her on Sept. 18, according to the Aspen Times.

She has had multiple surgeries to her hand and resulting staph infections because of the attack, the lawsuit said. Fischer’s lawsuit said that she was walking in the Gondola Plaza, near the outdoor tables at Starbucks, when a black Labrador named Babu Sarofim “leapt up from its position and lunged directly” at her, biting her left hand.

“Fischer was able to free her left hand from Babu’s mouth and she immediately realized she was injured and bleeding from the dog bite,” the lawsuit said. A woman who witnessed the attack called 911.

For more: http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/30907562/detail.html

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