Hotels owe guests more than clean rooms and comfortable stays—they owe a basic level of safety. When a hotel in Fort Worth fails to provide adequate security and a guest is robbed, assaulted, or otherwise harmed, the guest may have the right to pursue a civil claim. In Texas, hotels can be held liable for preventable crimes arising from unsafe conditions or negligent security.
This blog explains when you can sue, what evidence matters, and how victims can pursue compensation.
When Is a Hotel Responsible for Guest Safety?
Under Texas premises liability law, hotels must take reasonable steps to protect guests from foreseeable harm. This includes both dangerous property conditions and security risks. Because hotels invite the public onto their property and profit from guests staying there, they owe one of the highest duties of care.
Reasonable security measures may include:
- Adequate lighting in parking lots, hallways, and stairwells
- Working room locks and key-card systems
- Monitored security cameras
- Security personnel when the crime risk is elevated
- Prompt responses to reports of threats or suspicious behavior
- Controlled access points at entrances
- Maintenance of doors, windows, and perimeter barriers
When hotels ignore these responsibilities, crimes that could have been prevented sometimes occur.
What Types of Crimes Lead to Hotel Liability?
A Fort Worth hotel may be liable if a guest is harmed due to inadequate security measures. Common incidents that lead to civil claims include:
- Assaults (physical or sexual)
- Robberies in parking lots or hallways
- Room break-ins caused by faulty locks
- Attacks by non-guests entering through unsecured entrances
- Kidnapping or attempted kidnapping
- Stalking incidents, the hotel failed to address
- Violent altercations made worse by a lack of staff response
Hotels are not automatically responsible for everything that occurs on their property—but they are accountable when their own failures contribute to the crime.
What Makes a Crime “Foreseeable”?
Foreseeability is a key issue in negligent security cases. A hotel may be liable if prior incidents showed the property to be unsafe and management failed to act.
Examples of foreseeability in Fort Worth hotel claims include:
- Prior assaults or robberies on the premises
- Repeated police calls to the hotel
- Management ignores guest complaints about threats or suspicious individuals
- A history of break-ins due to faulty locks
- Known criminal activity in the area requires heightened security
In these situations, hotels should reasonably anticipate that guests may be harmed if they do not take corrective measures.
What Damages Can Guests Recover After a Hotel Crime?
Victims of hotel-related crimes in Texas may pursue compensation for:
Economic Damages
- Medical bills, emergency care, and follow-up treatment
- Therapy and counseling for trauma
- Lost wages and reduced earning capacity
- Property losses from theft or damage
Non-Economic Damages
- Physical pain and emotional suffering
- Anxiety, PTSD, and long-term psychological effects
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Reduced quality of life after serious injury
In rare cases, punitive damages may apply if the hotel’s conduct was grossly negligent or showed reckless disregard for guest safety.
What Evidence Helps Prove Hotel Negligence?
Strong negligent security cases rely on evidence that shows the hotel failed to meet its duty of care. Useful documentation includes:
- Police reports
- Surveillance footage (if the hotel maintains it properly)
- Hotel incident reports
- Photos of poor lighting or broken security features
- Witness statements from guests or staff
- Prior crime records from the property
- Maintenance or repair logs
- Door-lock or key-card malfunction records
An attorney can help secure this evidence quickly—before it disappears or gets overwritten.
Fort Worth Negligent Security Attorneys
Hotel owners and their insurance companies often argue that the crime was the attacker’s fault alone. While the criminal is responsible, that does NOT preclude a civil claim when the hotel’s negligence contributed to the danger.
At Rochelle McCullough LLP, we represent victims of hotel crimes across Fort Worth and North Texas. We investigate hotel security failures, gather evidence, work with experts, and pursue the compensation clients need to move forward. Contact us today so we can start working on your claim.