I was drunk at a hotel and fell down their staircase, which resulted in stiches. Can I sue the hotel?

Question

Please note: The only reason I took the stairs was because the elevators were not working.

Answer 1

YES you can sue anybody for anything. Call a lawyer.

Answer 2

Unlikely to prevail.

Your fact pattern suggest that the fall was related to your stated of inebriation and not by the fault of the hotel. You would have to establish that something was wrong with the stairs at the hotel for the hotel to be at fault. Even if something was wrong with the stairs, the hotel will blame it on your intoxication as the true causation of your damages.

The fact that the elevator was not working does not really factor in as the stairs are a reasonable alternative and does not suggest that the hotel was negligent for having an inoperable elevator.

Answer 3

Your level of Impairment will of course be relevant to the case. However, unless there are records of this (blood test or such), it will be up to the witnesses to testify as to whether or not you were so impaired that your fall was your fault.

You also have to prove negligence on the part of the hotel. Laws vary from state to state, so if you are serious about pursuing this, you need to speak with an attorney. The burden of proof differs from state to state. There is such a thing as contributory negligence. That means your own negligence in consuming alcohol and then trying the stairs may be compared to the negligence of the hotel.

Answer 4

1. If the hotel served you something that one would not expect to contain alcohol, but that did contain alcohol, and did not tell you that it contained alcohol, then it is their fault that you were drunk. Otherwise, it is not their fault that you were drunk.

2. Multi-floor hotels are generally required to provide elevators for disabled persons. If you were drunk because of a disability (either alcoholism or a disability that requires medication containing large amounts of alcohol), then you could argue that by not repairing the elevator, they failed to make reasonable accommodation for your disability. However, if they did not know you were disabled, the elevator had just broken and there was not time to fix it, and you failed to ask them to assist you on the stairs, then they are probably still not responsible. If you were not drunk due to being disabled, then were they required to provide a working elevator by either local building codes or a contract?

Answer 5

Sure, you can sue them. I'm sure you'll be able to find a lawyer who will take your case. You may even get something in a settlement if the hotel doesn't want to go through the trouble of a court case.

Should you sue them, however? No. You did this to yourself, elevator or no elevator. You got drunk, what happened is because of that, not because you had to take the stairs.

Answer 6

No. You where drunk and you fell on your own, it is called self inflicked injury.

My be you should concider not drinking that stuff it is not good for you or any of us. Try to look at it this way you and me meaning all of us, come to the rightful age to drink, we get drunk do stupid this like get locked up.

The question is how much did we spend to look foolish, lets say a fifth cost 45.00, we drive get pulled over go to jail spend the rest of the night in the tank, go to court, bond is set for 10,000, you or someone pays 10% of the bail 1000.00, you still owe 9.000, you go to all these class to pay for the DUI, you licese are suspended for i don't know how long.

This is what you and me pay for being drunk and stupid this is a price i would not like to pay, if you think you can sue for your actions and stupidity go right a head but don't be surprised that they might counter sue you.

Remember you are accountable for your own actions i'd be very careful of the fights i pick.


Asiatic Moor

Answer 7

I think the Hotel should sue you , for getting Drunk [ not drinking responsibly ]
I think, if you are drunk , and you cause any problems, including accidents, rapes, murder, falls , etc etc -------YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE-----OR you should have the right to SUE THE MANUFACTURER [THE GOT THE MONEY ,] AND THEY ARE ONEs WHO STARTED IT IN THE FIRST PLACE.
Just the like the Tobacco industry, was sued in the past , so should the BOOZE INDUSTRY be sued for getting the Nation drunk


So I think the Hotel should sue you.

Answer 8

Unless you can show that there was something wrong with the stairs (slippery, no handrails, inadequate lighting, etc.), you are looking at a summary dismissal.

But do sue, though. The attorney for the hotel will sure love the easy billing.

Answer 9

Um, no. You were "impaired" at the time of falling, AND you would have to prove there was some sort of problem with the stair that CAUSED you to fall... being drunk and falling down stairs isn't the hotels fault... nice try though!

Answer 10

It depends, did you fall because you were drunk or because of some negligence on the hotels part? (such as loose railing, missing step, slick steps with no warning?)

If you fell because of their negligence, yes, you can sue and the fact that you were drunk is irrelevant. If you fell because you were drunk and couldn't walk without falling down, then it is your fault.

Answer 11

You need to quit drinking before something really bad
happens. Anyone can sue anyone in this country, but
that doesn't guarantee you'll collect, but people will try
even if it's their own clumbsyness. We always want to
blame someone else, don't we? When are we all going
to take responsibility for our own actions? Sober up,
loser.