to sue hotel chain

[tosuehotelchain]

We were at a well known hotel this afternoon for Sunday lunch, after lunch we were walking through the reception area where DC (13months old) fell and split open their head on the corner of the table (adult shin height) we had to ask the receptionist for medical assistance, all the while DC screaming and blood pouring everywhere.

We had to take DC to A&E where he needed a GA, however because of past expeirence with this, it was then decided that our baby would go through the treatment and the horrid trauma with no pain relief, he needed 1 inner stitch and 2 outer stitches, and next week he will have to endure it all again.

I phoned the hotel to let them know the result, and asked for safety guards on the tables to stop further accidents like this in future, they said the would get back to me, due to the "design" of the lounge

Everybody has said to sue, as its the only way they know, that this hotel will take action.

I know this from expeirence sadly also with the chain.

However I feel uneasy about it.

OP...Move along now.

Your poor child fell just this afternoon and your already thinking about suing?

Quite frankly, if it were my DC I'd be more concerned with the here and now, i.e, getting them stitched up, taking them hom and giving them plenty of TLC. Quite possibly wouldn't have even got round to phoning the hotel and telling them what they should and shouldn't do with their furniture.

But that's just me. And YABU to want to sue for what seems lke an unfortunate accident that could just have easily happened at home.

I am assuming the highlighting of the "two hour nap" is to ensure that people understand that this is a wind-up?

Yes children can sleep after a head injury but no mother I've ever met (12 years parenting and counting) puts recntly child down for a nap without stressing about it. Op must have nerves of steel - shame about the lack of common sense.....

YABU

Where there's blame there's a claim.

Where there's not, erm, there's not.

if my child had been through what OP's had been through an dthen wanted a nap i would be on here posting "is it ok to let him nap? HCP's say yes but I'm not sure. what do i do?"

pressed post before i had finished.

meant to say, i would NOT be asking if i should sue!! priorities a bit skewed there.

I am wondering whether the OP is actually feeling very guilty that her DP and herself have not taken sufficient care of their DC and that is what has allowed this accident to happen. Therefore, she thinks that she can pass the blame onto someone else and make herself and DP feel better about their own failings?

FWIW, I really don't see how you can expect a hotel chain to completely child proof everything in public areas. As long as they did not have liquid or grease over the floor that would have caused anyone, not just a toddler to slip. But really, I don't understand why at 13 months, the child was not being carried or in a buggy. This was not a nursery or a school, it was a hotel. And as such, whilst they have a duty of care, the level of that duty of care is gong to be somewhat different than the duty of care in a venue where children are the main users.

OP, sorry your Dc was hurt and I hope all gets better soon. But in future, I would suggest that if yo are taking DCs to adult oriented venues, you and DP need to be a bit more on the ball.

This thread has restored my faith in people. I thought most people had bought into the whole claim culture but thankfully it would seem the majority have not.

I spent this afternoon with my DD as she rode a pony.

If she had fallen off, as she has done many many times before, who would I sue? Myself, since I bought the pony? The man who sold us the pony? The man whose land on which we were riding? The man who shoed the pony? The people who made her gloves?

Come on, sometimes there are just accidents, these things happen.

And you did very very well indeed OP to be in and out of lunch in 45 minutes on a Sunday, and to get to A&E and out of A&E and home again in the short space of time this afternoon. I am frequently in my local A&E (thanks to DD and blardy ponies) and I am rarely if ever out in less than 3 hours.

I still have a scar on my eyebrow from falling on my mum and dads table when I was learning to walk. You mean to tell me that all this time I should have been suing my parents and living in luxury on the proceeds?

off to find the number for national accident helpine......

get a grip Shiney

of course the poor child has had a nasty accident, but...........

While I agree with the sentiment of the thread re suing I do think the op should check the accident had been properly reported, including referral to the Health & Safety Executive, because the injury required hospital treatment, who will look at the hotel objectively and do a risk assessment.

Then if any changes need to be made they will be on their recommendation. No need to get all "claim culture" about it.

Hope your dc better soon and you're ok

Why do the OP and now another poster seem to be overlooking the fact that the title of the thread and her user name are about suing the hotel?! How can she say she doesn't want to sue? And if posters are acting like she suggested suing them perhaps it because (drum roll)......she suggested suing them!

I think Northernlurker was posting what I thought.

OK timings are posiible but you still posted this barly 1 1/2 after you got home with a DS your so worried about your going to sue the hotel chain where he had the accident. Having also had time to question hotel about their future table safety.

Don't get me wrong I know how awful, scary ,upsetting it is when your child hurts themselves, BUT a child that age not holding a parents hand is liable to fall more often than not, its NO-ONES fault just a set of circumstances with an unfortunate ending.

This case wouldn't even get past a no win - no fee assesment I'm afraid.

Sorry your child was injured but as a parent wherever you take them you have to carry out a mental 'risk assessment' to see what potential dangers lurk and make sure you manage them so they don't hurt themselves.
If you were concerned re the table corners then you should have taken action to make sure nothing happened, but you didn't. Sorry I'm not blaming you but this is just a terrible accident but he could do the same and worse at home.
I think you would be very unreasonable to sue.

I've definately been a bit mean and that's because the op isn't a bit deluded she's totally WRONG and is asking not for a bit of support or debriefing - but rather for confirmation that she is RIGHT.

If the OP does sue what does she think will actually happen? That the hotel baby proofs everything or actually bans the under fives from staying?

Oh I must be mean too as I agreed with northernlurker (and stated it) in PP

Lionel Hutz takes on cases like this