West Palm Beach Slip & Fall Lawyer: Holiday Inn Parking-Lot Potholes & Speed-Bump Trip Hazards — Who Is Liable?

Hotel parking lots can be dangerous. At Holiday Inn in West Palm Beach, potholes, broken speed bumps, and poor lighting create real fall risks. If you were hurt in a trip and fall on hotel property, Florida law may let you seek compensation. A West Palm Beach slip & fall lawyer can review your case and explain your options. Like a West Palm Beach car accident lawyer, Wolfson & Leon has helped injury victims since 1963.

This guide explains the most common parking lot hazards at hotels, what to do after a fall, and how Florida premises liability law applies to your situation.

Hotel parking lots see heavy foot and vehicle traffic every day. At a Holiday Inn in West Palm Beach, common hazards that cause injuries include:

• Potholes in the asphalt that guests do not see in poor lighting
• Broken or uneven speed bumps that catch feet and cause trips
• Cracked or heaved pavement near entrances and pedestrian paths
• Lack of warning signs near damaged sections of the lot
• Poor lighting at night that hides surface defects
• Standing water that pools in low spots after rain

Speed bumps and potholes are hard to spot in the dark. Guests arriving at night face the most risk.

Acting fast protects both your health and your legal claim. Follow these steps:

1. Report the incident to hotel management or the front desk before you leave. Ask for a written incident report. Keep your copy.
2. Take photos of the pothole, broken speed bump, or damaged pavement. Photograph your injuries and the surrounding area.
3. Get contact information from any witnesses.
4. Seek medical care the same day. Fractures, sprains, and head injuries may not produce severe pain right away.
5. Keep the shoes you were wearing. Do not clean them. They may show contact with the surface that caused your fall.
6. Write down a full account of what happened while your memory is clear.

Hotels have cameras in parking lots and near entrances. Footage is usually deleted within 24 to 72 hours.

Your attorney can send a legal hold notice to Holiday Inn and its parent company, IHG. This notice requires the hotel to preserve all video footage, maintenance records, repair work orders, and incident reports. Failing to preserve evidence after receiving a hold notice can result in serious court penalties.

Contact a West Palm Beach slip & fall lawyer right away to protect the evidence in your case.

Go to an emergency room or urgent care clinic the same day as your fall. Keep every bill and medical record. Attend all follow-up visits and therapy sessions.

Hotel insurers use delays in care to dispute injury claims. Your records link your injuries to the fall. A gap in treatment gives defense attorneys a way to reduce your claim.

Common errors that weaken premises liability claims after a hotel fall:

• Not reporting the fall to hotel staff before leaving
• Accepting a settlement from the hotel without legal advice
• Posting about your injuries or the fall on social media
• Missing follow-up doctor visits
• Giving a recorded statement to the insurer without a lawyer present
• Waiting too long — Florida's personal injury filing deadline is two years under Florida Statute 95.11(3)(a)

Hotels owe a duty of care to their guests. Florida law holds commercial property owners responsible for maintaining safe conditions. Under Florida Statute 768.0755, you must show that the hotel knew about the hazardous condition or that the condition existed long enough that they should have known through regular maintenance checks.

A pothole that has grown over weeks shows the hotel failed to inspect and repair the lot. Your attorney can get maintenance records to show when the defect was first known. Visit the Wolfson & Leon premises liability page for more on Florida law.

Preserve as much evidence as possible:

• Photos of the exact pothole or broken speed bump that caused your fall
• Security camera footage from the parking lot (request a legal hold fast)
• Hotel incident report
• Maintenance and repair records (available through legal discovery)
• Medical records and bills
• Witness statements
• Your written account of what happened

A premises liability attorney can investigate the parking lot, find prior complaints, and build a strong case.

Falls on hard pavement are particularly dangerous for people with reduced bone density. Older adults and individuals with osteoporosis can suffer fractures — especially of the hip, wrist, and spine — from falls that healthy younger adults might escape with minor injuries.

The National Institutes of Health reports that about 10 million Americans have osteoporosis. Another 44 million have low bone density. Women are at especially high risk after menopause. Vitamin D deficiency and long-term steroid use can also weaken bones.

Under Florida's eggshell plaintiff doctrine, a hotel cannot use your age or pre-existing condition as a defense against full liability. If their negligent maintenance caused your fall, they are responsible for everything your injury cost you.

If the Holiday Inn or its management company was negligent, you may be able to seek compensation for:

• Emergency room treatment, surgery, and ongoing rehabilitation
• Lost wages and reduced ability to work
• Pain and suffering
• Emotional distress
• Loss of enjoyment of life
• Out-of-pocket expenses related to your recovery

No specific amount or outcome can be guaranteed. However, our experienced attorneys work to recover every dollar you may be owed based on the facts of your case.

Dealing with a major hotel chain and its insurers on your own is stressful. At Wolfson & Leon, we manage all communications, gather evidence, and handle the legal process from start to finish. You focus on getting better.

As your West Palm Beach car accident lawyer and premises liability team, we provide free consultations and work on a contingency fee basis — you pay nothing unless we recover compensation for you. Call (305) 285-1115 today. We serve West Palm Beach, Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and all of Florida. Hablamos español.

When you come in, bring:

• The incident report from the hotel, if you have one
• Photos of the hazard and your injuries
• Medical records and bills
• Any written communication from the hotel or their insurer
• Witness contact information
• A summary of how the fall happened and how your life has been affected

• Florida Statute 95.11(3)(a) — Personal injury statute of limitations
• Florida Statute 768.0755 — Premises liability for transitory foreign substances
• Wolfson & Leon — Premises Liability
• Wolfson & Leon — Miami Personal Injury Blog
• National Institutes of Health — Osteoporosis
• CDC — Falls Prevention

Since 1963, Jerome Wolfson, Esq. and the team at Wolfson & Leon have proudly served accident victims across Florida:

• Miami
• Orlando
• Tampa
• Jacksonville
• Fort Lauderdale
• West Palm Beach
• Fort Myers
• Cape Coral
• Sarasota
• Clearwater
• Tallahassee

Let us help you get back on the road to recovery. Call (305) 285-1115 today, and our team will handle your case with the personal care and attention you deserve.