What a DC Hotel Injury is Worth
When you get hurt at a hotel, you may wonder what your DC hotel injury is worth. This depends on several factors. The good news is that coverage should not be an issue if we can prove the hotel’s negligence. Most hotels in Washington, DC, have insurance for bodily injuries. This can be contrasted with if you are injured due to the negligence of an individual who may not have as much money as a hotel. However, not every injury you suffer at a hotel is compensable. As we will discuss, some types of injuries fall outside the scope of a hotel’s liability. This is true even if a hotel employee injures you. For example, if a bellman at a hotel violently assaults you, the hotel may not be liable. Of course, if your injuries warrant investigation, we will determine whether the hotel was negligent in hiring the employee.
If this is the case, then the hotel is likely liable. However, this is a negligence standard. The hotel would still not be liable for intentional conduct. Instead, it is liable for the negligent hire. Nonetheless, they are still responsible for your general and special damages. But an injury does not simply have a set value. Some factors influence the value of a hotel injury claim. We discuss those factors below. Knowing how to leverage these factors is critical to increase the value of your case. Lastly, we will teach you the basic formula for calculating damages for hotel injuries. While every case is different, and the formula is applied differently depending on the jury, understanding what a DC hotel injury is worth is crucial for deciding whether you want to proceed.
Types of Compensable Injuries in Hotels
The types of compensable injuries in hotels are limitless. Below, we divide the compensable injuries into three categories so you can better understand what a DC hotel injury is worth.
Physical Injuries
Physical injuries are the most common and offer your best chance at recovering financial compensation for an injury. A bodily injury is tangible. X-rays can prove it, and a jury can see and understand it. Thus, it is more convincing and likely to meet the burden of proof in a civil trial. You are most likely to be injured in a hotel via slips, trips, and falls. However, there are so many different hotel parts, all offering unique hazards. For example, the fitness center in a hotel may have negligently maintained equipment.
However, this is less likely than on a wet surface, which happens with unfortunate regularity. A child may come down from the pool and run through the lobby. If the kid is injured, he likely does not have a claim. However, if the wet surface is there long enough, and you slip and get injured, you may have a claim against the hotel.
Psychological Injuries
Psychological injuries are less likely to be worth your time than physical injuries. Theoretically, you may well suffer a psychological injury that has drastic long-term consequences. However, they are few and far between compared to bodily injuries. One such theory is a negligent infliction of emotional distress. A hotel must avoid negligent infliction of emotional distress. This duty may be breached when the hotel creates a foreseeable risk of physical injury. To be successful in a negligent infliction of emotional distress claim, you must be within the zone of danger and have suffered physical injuries from the distress. Physical symptoms may include a nervous breakdown, miscarriage, or heart attack. Given that these are more challenging injury claims to pursue, what a DC hotel injury is worth for psychological injuries may be less than for physical injuries.
Long-Term Disabilities
Long-term disabilities may manifest themselves as physical injuries or psychological injuries. However, a third component to discuss directly affects what a DC hotel injury is worth. That is the loss of future earning capacity due to your injuries. This claim requires expert vocational witnesses to testify that you can no longer work the same job or earn the same wage.
Factors Influencing the Value of a Hotel Injury Claim

There are countless factors influencing the value of a hotel injury claim. There is what the law says, and there is also the persuasiveness of our evidence. If we have very little evidence, we may be unable to meet our burden of proof. As the plaintiff, you have the burden of proof in a civil suit against the hotel. This is not insurmountable; it is less of a burden than in a criminal trial where one’s freedom is on the line. You have to convince a jury that it is more likely than not that the elements of the cause of action occurred. If we do not have eyewitnesses to testify on your behalf or any security camera footage to support your allegations, this is a more complex case to prove.
However, your testimony is technically sufficient. Ultimately, we approach these cases individually and weigh the totality of the circumstances when deciding if it is worth it for you to pursue. We must also consider the severity and permanency of your injuries. Naturally, extensive, long-lasting injuries will be factored in when deciding what a DC hotel injury is worth.
Calculating Damages for Hotel Injuries
We consider three elements when calculating what a DC hotel injury is worth.
Medical Expenses
Medical expenses are fully compensable, subject to a few conditions. First, we must prove that the hotel is liable for your injury. If we cannot do that, then all aspects of damages are thrown out. If we establish that the hotel did act negligently in some manner and that negligence proximately caused your injuries, then the hotel will be liable for your medical expenses. However, the medical record must indicate that the injury you are treated for is causally linked to the injury sustained because of the hotel. If the medical record fails to demonstrate this, that treatment may not be compensable.
When deciding what a DC hotel injury is worth, focusing on medical expenses, we must consider your past and future expenses. If you have long-term pain, you may need prescription pain pills for the rest of your life. We will fight to ensure you are compensated for that expense.
Lost Wages
Lost wages are also fully compensable and should be considered while calculating what a DC hotel injury is worth. Similarly to medical expenses, we consider past and future lost wages. Critically, this can include a loss of future earning capacity. You may be unable to perform at the same level because of your injuries. You deserve compensation for this to be adequately brought back to the whole, as is the purpose of common law tort.
Noneconomic Damages
Noneconomic damages account for the pain and suffering you go through because of your injury. When you are hurt at a hotel, you may break a bone or receive a concussion. Especially if you slip and fall, it is common to fracture your hip. Of course, there is a medical cost associated with that for any surgery. However, you are also entitled to financial compensation for your pain.
Contact an Attorney
Our DC hotel injury attorneys are here should you be interested in making a claim or filing a lawsuit. Our firm has been in the heart of Washington, DC, since 1954. We have helped thousands of clients recover compensation for their injuries. Call us today for a free consultation at (202) 331-7227.
We look forward to speaking with you.
