Legal Question in Personal Injury in Massachusetts

I stayed at hotel with my wife and two small children. The room next door had a party that was going strong well after midnight. My wife asked them to keep the noise down. They only got louder. After 2 more attempts, she went to the front desk and told the night manager. The night manager came to the door and they quieted down for a few minutes. Then about twenty people in the room (many were not staying at the hotel) moved to the hallway and started yelling. The guest across the hall called the police. My wife opened our door to tell them to move away from our room. They got verbally abusive to her. When I steped out of the room to see what was going on (now nearly 1:00 AM), they attacked me. Punching me in the face and breaking my glasses. My face was badly cut and I was bleeding all over the place. The group ran away before the police got there. When the police talked to us, they said there is nothing they can do because the the group that attacked me were no longer around. Do I have any recourse against either the hotel that failed to maintain a safe environment or the person that rented the room?

Asked on 4/25/11, 5:40 am

2 Answers from Attorneys

Christopher Vaughn-Martel Charles River Law Partners, LLC

0 users found helpful

0 attorneys agreed

The short answer is yes.

On the criminal justice side of your question, the police officer's statement that nothing can be done because the perpetrators were no longer around probably means it was not worth his time tracking them down and sorting out who did what. The fact is that you have every right to file a police report.

As far as your right to bring claims against the hotel for their failure to provide adequate security, you can also explore this option. The hotel knows who rented that room. The only question is whether your medical bills and damages warrant bringing civil claims against the hotel and the person who did this to you.

Answered on 4/25/11, 5:49 am

Mark as helpful

Jonas Jacobson Law Offices of Jonas Jacobson

0 users found helpful

0 attorneys agreed

I am very sorry to hear about what happened to you.

I would be happy to discuss this case with you. The hotel has an obligation to keep a safe environment, and, if necessary, to contact the police to keep the hotel safe. This never should have happened to you.

[email protected]

Answered on 4/25/11, 3:01 pm

Mark as helpful