When you rent an Airbnb for the weekend or for a vacation, your health and safety is often in the hands of property owners who do not have the training and experience that landlords and hotel managers have in keeping their property safe and clean for guests. If you suffered an injury at an Airbnb because of a dangerous condition on the property or because the accommodations were dirty or unsanitary, you may be entitled to file a lawsuit against the property’s owner and Airbnb, Inc.
For help with your case, contact Miami Airbnb rental injury lawyer Prosper Shaked today. Prosper Shaked Accident Injury Attorneys PA represent injury victims in lawsuits against all responsible parties, including Airbnb Inc., the property’s owners, and any other negligent parties. Our lawyers can fight to get you the compensation you need for medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. For a free legal consultation, call (305) 694-2676 today.
Suing Airbnb for Injuries at a Rental Property
If you were injured while renting an Airbnb, typically the lawsuit is filed against the property owner. Airbnb connects renters and property owners and helps them arrange payment, but it does not own or operate the properties rented through Airbnb. This typically means that, instead of suing Airbnb directly for injuries, you would sue the property owner.
Airbnb’s insurer generally provides one million dollars in insurance coverage for each property on its platform. In most cases, Airbnb’s insurance coverage will pay for injuries or damages. In others, the property owner’s homeowners, renters or liability insurance will cover the damages.
Suing for Accidents and Injuries at Airbnbs in Miami
Property owners have an obligation to ensure that their property is reasonably safe and clean for guests. If a property owner has a social guest over, this duty might require them to avoid intentionally harming their guest and to warn the guest of hidden dangers – or to repair those dangers. For a guest that is paying them to be there, the duty might be even higher.
In most cases, injuries at Airbnbs occur because the property owner failed to address a danger on the premises. If the property owner left their Airbnb renter at a building with exposed wiring, tripping or slipping hazards, wobbly or uneven stairs, loose handrails, or rotten porches and decks, they should be liable for any injuries these dangerous features cause.
In addition, renters must make sure that their property is clean for guests. Picking up infections or MRSA from unclean accommodations is absolutely unacceptable. Moreover, the risk of spreading or being attacked by bed bugs is possible if the property owner failed to properly inspect their rental property.
Any time the property owner fails to address these concerns, they could be held liable for the injuries and illnesses you face because of their negligence. In court, you can sue the property owner to seek full compensation for any of the damages resulting from these harms. In cases where the defendant obviously knew about the error or blatantly failed to clean or repair the property between rental terms, your case may be quite strong.
Damages for Airbnb Injuries
If you are injured because of premises liability issues, slip and falls on someone else’s property, bed bugs, or other illnesses or infections from staying at an Airbnb, the damages you are entitled to will depend heavily on the circumstances of your case. You should always talk to an attorney about how much your case might be worth and discuss whether insurance payments or a settlement are appropriate. In many insurance claims, the insurance policy does not cover full damages or refuses to cover pain and suffering, and you may lose compensation you deserve if you do not take your case to court.
When filing a lawsuit in court, you can claim full compensation for any medical bills and lost wages you faced because of the accident. For severe injuries like brain injuries or spinal cord injuries sustained in a fall or because of collapsing structures in the building, you could be entitled to substantial damages. Not only is medical care expensive for many severe injuries, but the ongoing care costs and lost wages from disabilities or permanent injuries can also amount to a huge sum of money. In court, you can claim these costs in full against the property owner.
In court, you can also claim damages for pain and suffering. These damages pay you directly for the injuries you had to deal with. These damages are in addition to the damages for the financial harms of the injury and are usually paid in higher sums for more severe injuries.
Lastly, you may be entitled to punitive damages in rare instances. Courts may order extremely negligent parties to pay punitive damages to their victims if their actions constituted “gross negligence” or are part of a scheme of outrageous conduct or a series of serious mistakes. For instance, if your Airbnb’s owner knew that it had bed bugs or had received repeat complaints about dangerous fixtures on the property but failed to do anything about it, they may be required to pay you additional punitive damages. Talk to a lawyer about how to fight for justice by seeking punitive damages in your case.
Call Our Miami Airbnb Injury Attorney for a Free Legal Consultation
If you or a loved one was injured while staying at an Airbnb in Miami or anywhere in Florida, call Prosper Shaked Accident Injury Attorneys PA today. Miami Airbnb rental injury attorney Prosper Shaked represents victims of serious accidents and injuries and works to get them the damages they need to cover their expenses and compensate them for the injuries they suffered. For a free consultation on your injury case, call Prosper Shaked today at (305) 694-2676.