When you stay at a hotel, motel, or short-term rental like an Airbnb in Kentucky, you expect the property to be safe. Unfortunately, unsafe conditions do happen – and when they do, they can lead to serious injuries. Understanding your legal rights is essential if you’re hurt while lodging away from home.
Whether you’re in Paducah for a weekend getaway, visiting Kentucky Lake, or traveling through Western Kentucky for work, the personal injury attorneys at Saladino & Schaaf have the knowledge and experience to help you understand your rights and legal options following an injury at a hotel, motel, or Airbnb.
The Legal Duty to Keep Guests Safe
Under Kentucky law, hotel and lodging guests are considered “business invitees.” That means property owners and operators – whether a hotel chain or an Airbnb host – owe you a duty of care. They must keep the property reasonably safe and free from dangerous conditions.
Property owners and hosts have a duty to regularly inspect their premises for potential hazards, fix anything that could cause harm, and warn guests of risks that can’t be immediately resolved. This may include things like loose handrails, broken steps, faulty locks, slippery floors, or unsafe balconies.
If a hotel, motel, or Airbnb host fails to take these precautions and a guest gets hurt, the property owner can be held legally responsible.
Kentucky Premises Liability: How It Works
Kentucky courts have consistently ruled that property owners have a duty to protect guests from unreasonably dangerous conditions – even ones that may seem “obvious.” In one important case, a hotel guest slipped in a bathtub and sued because the room lacked a non-slip mat. The hotel argued the danger was clear and obvious. But the Kentucky Supreme Court allowed the lawsuit to move forward, saying the hotel still had a duty to make the room safe.
In another tragic case from Northern Kentucky, a 76-year-old man staying at a motel suffered fatal burns after being hit by scalding water in the shower – measured at over 150°F. A jury found the motel owner negligent for failing to regulate the water temperature and awarded more than $2 million to the victim’s estate. The case serves as a powerful reminder that owners must maintain basic safety standards – and that juries take these obligations seriously.
At the same time, guests also have a responsibility to exercise reasonable care for their own safety. If you walk into a clearly marked wet area or ignore a warning sign, your compensation could be reduced. But that doesn’t mean you can’t recover anything – just that Kentucky’s comparative negligence rule may reduce your award by your percentage of fault.
For example, if a jury finds that the hotel was 70% responsible and you were 30% responsible, your damages will be reduced accordingly. But you’d still be entitled to recover the remaining 70%.
These types of cases highlight how Kentucky law applies to real-world lodging injuries – and the importance of pursuing legal action when property owners fail to uphold their responsibilities.
What About Airbnb and Short-Term Rentals?
Airbnb and similar platforms don’t escape these rules. In Kentucky, short-term rental hosts owe the same duty of care to paying guests as a hotel or motel would. That means regularly inspecting the property for potential hazards and either fixing them or providing warnings to guests.
Pursuing a claim against an Airbnb host can be more complex than dealing with a hotel. Airbnb offers a $1 million liability policy for hosts, but coverage isn’t guaranteed and often depends on the host initiating a claim through the platform. In many cases, the injured guest must bring a claim directly against the host, property manager, and their insurance carrier.
If you’re hurt at an Airbnb – whether from a fall, a defective handrail, a carbon monoxide leak, or other hazard – it’s important to document the scene, report the incident, and contact a Kentucky personal injury lawyer who understands how to navigate short-term rental claims.
What to Do After an Injury
If you’re injured at a hotel, motel, or Airbnb in Kentucky, here are a few important steps you may want to take:
- Seek medical attention: Your health comes first. Prompt treatment may also help document the severity of your injury.
- Report the incident: Notify the property owner, manager, or Airbnb host as soon as possible.
- Take photos: Document the hazard, your injuries, and the surrounding area before anything is moved, cleaned or repaired.
- Get witness names: If anyone saw the incident, get their contact information.
- Don’t give a recorded statement to the insurance company without legal advice. What you say could be used against you.
- Contact a personal injury attorney: An experienced local lawyer can help explain your rights and protect your claim.
Do Kentucky Laws Limit Lodging Liability?
There’s no special statute in Kentucky that protects hotels or Airbnb hosts from being sued for personal injuries. In fact, injury claims follow general negligence law – meaning a property owner or host may be held liable if they failed to exercise reasonable care.
Why Local Legal Help Matters
Whether your injury happened at a Paducah hotel, a lakeside rental in Marshall County, or a roadside motel near Murray, Kentucky’s laws apply statewide. However, achieving the best possible outcome may depend on working with a local personal injury firm that understands the region, its courts, and the common tactics used by insurers and corporate defendants.
With decades worth of experience representing injury victims throughout Western Kentucky, Saladino & Schaaf has the knowledge to investigate dangerous property conditions, identify liable parties, and fight for the compensation you deserve.
Our Personal Injury Attorneys Can Help
No one expects to be injured while traveling or staying in a hotel or Airbnb. But if it happens, Kentucky law is on your side. Property owners and hosts have a legal duty to keep guests safe. When they fail to do so, and someone gets hurt, they can be held accountable.
If you or a loved one was injured while staying at a hotel, motel, or Airbnb in Kentucky, contact the attorneys at Saladino & Schaaf for a free consultation. We’re here to answer your questions and help protect your rights. Call us at (270) 444-0406 or (270) 753-1529 for a free consultation. Our offices are conveniently located in Paducah and Murray.