Tragic Fall at Residence Inn in Roseville
Roseville residents and those within the greater Sacramento community are shocked and saddened to learn that a seven-year-old boy was critically injured after falling three stories from a hotel window at a Residence Inn. The height of a third-story window ranges from 33 to 40 feet, a significant distance to fall. Area residents are questioning how the incident happened and whether every precaution was taken to prevent such a terrible occurrence.
The tragic incident happened on Sunday, March 14, 2021, at the Residence Inn on Freedom Way. The hotel is located west of Highway 65 near Top Golf.
Foul Play is Not Suspected
First responders rushed to the scene after the incident was reported just after 7:00 p.m., and the young boy was transported to a nearby hospital, where his condition was noted to be critical. Responding police officers indicated that the boy had been leaning against a window screen in the hotel room when it gave way and that there was no reason to believe that he had been pushed or thrown from the window.
Informal Investigation by Local Reporters
Sometime after the incident became publicized, local reporters booked a different room at the Residence Inn and performed an informal inspection of the windows, which they said had latches at the top that were intended to prevent the window from opening more than a couple of inches. It is unclear whether the same latches were installed in the room where the fall occurred, and if so, whether they were in working condition.
A Dangerous Condition at the Residence Inn?
It is difficult to make a conclusion based on the available facts, but if the hotel window represented a dangerous condition, the business may be liable for the child’s injuries under premises liability law. For the hotel to be found liable, the property owner must have been aware or should have been aware of the dangerous condition that caused the injuries.
Falls from hotel windows, whether accidental or intentional, are unfortunately quite common. As such, the manner in which the windows are secured is an issue that hotel ownership, management, and maintenance should always be aware of. Most higher-floor hotel rooms have windows that do not open enough for a body to exit.
In this recent heartbreaking incident, it is unclear whether the window was unsecured and able to be opened, or if it had been secured in some way to prevent it from opening and the security apparatus had failed. A thorough investigation into the cause of the accident should be performed in order to determine what caused this incident and to prevent future tragedies.
Watch the YouTube video below uploaded by CBS Sacramento reporting on the hotel fall.
Premises Liability Lawyer
Hello. Thank you for reading as we examine this terribly sad local story. My name is Ed Smith, and I have been a Premises Liability Lawyer advocating on behalf of injured Northern Californians for nearly four decades. Premises liability claims can be somewhat complicated and complex. To maximize the monetary recovery for the injured person, it is advised that you seek legal representation from an experienced premises liability lawyer. If you have been injured due to a dangerous condition that existed on private or public property, do not hesitate to contact one of our injury lawyers. There are important investigative tasks that should be performed as soon as possible following an injury, and legal deadlines that must be met in order to protect the claim. Our local number is (916) 921-6400. We also provide a toll-free line for use if you will be calling from outside the 916 area code: (800) 404-5400. We are available to offer compassionate, free, and friendly legal advice.
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