American Tourists Die in Hotel in Bahamas – Hotel Liability

Three American tourists were found dead at the Sandals Emerald Bay resort in Exuma – in the Bahamas. Another American tourist was airlifted to a hospital; according to reports, the woman’s extremities were swollen, and she could not move. She screamed until someone came into her room while her husband was laying on the floor. According to a press release made by the local authorities, one of the couples found in the villa had complained of illness the evening before the incident and had visited a local medical facility; they returned to their accommodations after receiving treatment. According to reports, all deceased victims showed signs of convulsions/seizures; no signs of trauma or foul play were identified.

Although the incident remains under investigation, the deaths and injuries were allegedly related to faulty air conditioning. More specifically, a faulty air conditioning unit could have resulted in a toxic coolant leak. Many air conditions use a refrigerant chemical (Freon) that can be toxic when inhaled.

This incident has highlighted the dangers present in the hospitality industry. Dangerous conditions throughout the premises of these resorts can quickly lead incidents that can lead to serious injuries or even death. Of course, based on the details surrounding the incident, hotel owners could be found liable – meaning that victims and their families could have grounds to file a lawsuit.

If you are interested in exploring the legal options available to you and your family after being harmed in a hotel or resort incident, do not hesitate to contact the experts here at our law firm as soon as possible. Here at Normandie Law Firm, our experts have decades of experience handling all sorts of claims, including hotel accident claims. We are ready to fight for your rights and help you recover the compensation that you are owed.
Our Recent Verdicts and Settlements

About Refrigerant Poisoning

Refrigerant (also known by the brand name Freon) is a chemical that is used for cooling appliances, including refrigerators and air conditioning units. Refrigerant poisoning can occur after inhaling or consuming the chemical. Refrigerant poisoning is considered rare; it is known to occur to those who work directly with the chemical. However, refrigerant poisoning can also occur due to leaks in appliances. If the leak occurs in a room without much ventilation, the results could be deadly. The chemical is almost odorless and tasteless; therefore, exposure is often gone unseen until it is too late.

Refrigerants cut off oxygen supply to the body. Some of the most common symptoms of minor to moderate refrigerant poisoning include the following:

• Headache
• Irritation in the eyes, ears, and throat
• Coughing
• Dizziness
• Nausea and vomiting
• Chemical burns on skin

In more severe cases, symptoms could include the following:

• Difficulty breathing
• Loss of consciousness
• Bleeding in the lungs
• Fluid buildup in the lungs
• Vomiting blood
• Irregular heartbeat
• Confusion
• Seizures
• Coma
• Sudden death

Without a doubt, refrigerant poisoning should be taken seriously. If you or a loved one suffered refrigerant poisoning in a hotel, motel, or resort due to a leaking air conditioning unit, it is essential that you seek legal assistance as soon as possible as you might have grounds to file a lawsuit.

Hotel Negligence and Your Right to Sue

Is the hotel owner liable for the harm that you or a loved one suffered due to refrigerant poisoning caused by a leaking air conditioning unit? Yes – the hotel owner could be liable. This is because hotel owners – like all other property owners – have a duty to keep their entire premises free of any hazards or dangerous conditions that could lead to incidents and harm their guests. When property owners and their managers/employees fail to routinely inspect their premises and identify and address the hazards present on their premises, including any hazards present by chemical leaks coming from their appliances, then property owners can be liable for any resulting harm whether its injury or death.

In some cases, hotels might try to deflect liability by blaming the manufacturers of the appliance that malfunctioned or leaked. Although product manufactures do have a duty to ensure that their products are free of any defects and can be liable for any harm resulting from their defective products, this does not make them automatically liable. This goes back to the duty of care that property owners have; property owners must also routinely inspect and maintain any appliances on their property to ensure that they do not pose a threat to their guests.

Our lawyers can help you establish liability and help you sue the negligent property owner for the harm that you or a loved one suffered.

Recovering Compensation

Based on the details surrounding your lawsuit, you could have grounds to file a lawsuit and recover monetary compensation. If you were injured due to refrigerant poisoning, you could recover compensation for the following:

• Medical expenses
• Lost earnings
• Pain and suffering
• Punitive damages
• Legal fees

What if you are filing a wrongful death claim after the death of a loved one? In the case of wrongful death, you could be awarded for the following:

• Any medical expenses incurred before the victim’s death
• Loss of financial support
• Loss of consortium
• Funeral and burial costs
• Punitive damages
• Legal fees

For more information about the specific type and amount of compensation that you could recover if you file a lawsuit after a refrigerant poisoning incident or any other type of incident at a hotel or resort, do not hesitate to contact the experts here at our law firm as soon as possible. Our lawyers are ready to aggressively fight for your rights and help you recover the maximum payout for your claim.

Normandie Law Firm Can Help You

Whether you or a loved one was harmed in the incident discussed above or another similar incident, it is important that you find a lawyer that can represent you and help you fight for your rights. Here at the Normandie Law Firm, we have decades of experience handling all sorts of injury lawsuits, including lawsuits against hotels, motels, and resorts. We are not afraid to take on any property owner to fight for the rights of our clients. When you contact our firm, you can trust that your claim will be in the best hands and that we will fight for your right to win.

We are proud to offer free legal services, which include free consultations and free second opinions. During these legal services, our attorneys will be available to answer all your questions, address all your concerns, and essentially provide you with the expert guidance necessary to begin or continue your claim. If you would like to benefit form these free legal services, contact us today. Our experts are ready to help you every step of the way.

Our Zero-Fee guarantee ensures that you will never be required to pay any upfront legal costs for our legal services. In addition, because we work on contingency, our clients will actually not be responsible for covering legal fees until they win. If your claim is unsuccessful, you will not pay us anything.

If you are ready to discuss your legal options with our hotel injury lawsuit attorneys, contact us today.