Nobody expects to become a victim of a shooting, especially when staying at a hotel. Unfortunately, in the past year, there have been multiple hotel shootings in the Dallas area. Shootings can cause devastating injuries that may require long-term care and treatment. Victims also face significant emotional trauma and can develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
If you or your loved one have been injured or killed in a hotel shooting in Dallas, navigating the aftermath can feel overwhelming. The skilled personal injury attorneys at Rochelle McCullough, LLP are prepared to represent your legal interests and help you pursue compensation for your medical expenses, lost income, and the pain and suffering you’ve endured after being injured in a hotel shooting.
What To Do After Being Injured in a Hotel Shooting
If you’ve been injured in a shooting incident, receiving medical attention is the most critical step you can take. If you have been shot, you will be transported to the emergency room by an ambulance. If your injuries are less severe, such as lacerations or joint sprains caused by trying to escape the hotel during a shooting, it’s still important that you receive medical attention immediately after the incident.
Ensure you keep records of all of your medical treatments and appointments. You should follow your doctor’s orders and attend all appointments with specialists. Taking these steps will help you prove that the hotel shooting caused your injuries and the severity of your injuries.
The Importance of Hiring an Attorney After You Receive Medical Treatment
After you receive medical treatment, the next step you should take is to hire a personal injury attorney. You may begin receiving phone calls from journalists, insurance adjusters, attorneys, and other interested parties. Hiring an attorney will allow you to focus on your medical recovery while your attorney handles all communication on your behalf. An attorney can also begin gathering evidence, interviewing witnesses, and determining which party or parties are liable for your injuries.
When you work with Rochelle McCullough, LLP, you can rest assured that we will determine the most effectrive strategy for recovery and compensation for you, whether through a personal injury lawsuit against the hotel or an insurance claim through the hotel’s commercial insurance policy. We will keep you informed every step of the way and help you draft statements to provide the insurance company that protects your interests in recovering compensation.
The Difference Between the Civil and Criminal Justice Systems
Shooting another person is considered a crime in Texas. The perpetrator of a hotel shooting will almost certainly face criminal charges. The perpetrator will face jail time, fines, probation, and a permanent criminal record if convicted. Convicting a shooter through the criminal justice system provides victims with a sense of justice by holding the criminal accountable.
Victims of hotel shootings can also pursue justice by pursuing financial compensation through the civil justice system. The civil justice system resolves disputes between entities and individuals by providing remedies for actions that cause injury or harm. Civil courts offer recourse when individuals are harmed due to another party’s intentional or negligent actions. Whether or not the shooter has been convicted of a crime, victims have a right to pursue compensation for their damages by filing a claim in a Texas civil court.
Who Is Liable for Hotel Shooting Injuries?
When pursuing a premises liability claim in civil court, the victims must prove that the at-fault party’s negligent or intentional actions caused their injuries. The shooter is financially liable for the injuries he or she causes victims. In many cases, the shooter does not have sufficient assets to cover all of the victim’s losses. Consequently, many hotel shooting cases focus on holding the hotel financially responsible for the shooting.
For example, when a victim can show that the hotel knew or should have known that the shooting would occur and didn’t take steps to prevent it, they may be able to hold the hotel liable. Hotels have a duty to ensure their guests are reasonably safe when staying at their hotel. As long as the victims are on the premises as guests, the hotel has a legal duty to prevent them from being injured by foreseeable harm.
Hotels Must Provide Adequate Security for Guests’ Safety
Hotel shootings have become more common, and victims and their attorneys can more easily persuade courts that mass shootings are foreseeable and hotels should take steps to prevent them. Suppose the hotel did not have an armed security guard or cameras. Their failure to use basic security measures to protect guests will likely amount to negligence.
Hotels should also ensure their employees receive training on identifying suspicious behavior, such as a person bringing rifle bags and ammunition into a hotel room. If a guest or employee notified hotel management of suspicious behavior and the management refuses to investigate, the hotel is liable for the shooting. Proving liability in shooting incidents can be challenging, and hiring an attorney as soon as possible can help you gather evidence and improve your case.
Damages Avaialble in Premises Liability Lawsuits
Victims of shootings frequently suffer devastating injuries that require long-term medical care. Gunshot wounds can damage a person’s vital organs, cause spinal cord damage, require ongoing rehabilitation, and render a person disabled and unable to work.
Through a personal injury lawsuit, a victim can pursue compensation for economic damages such as current and future medical expenses, lost income, property damage, and other easily quantifiable damages. Victims can also pursue damages for disability, disfigurement, and the pain and suffering they’ve endured from their injuries.
Contact an Experienced Hotel Shooting Attorney in Dallas
The consequences of shootings are often devastating. In addition to suffering painful physical injuries, victims may deal with police officers, medical personnel, insurance companies, and prosecutors. They may face a swarm of media interest in their case while they’re trying to recover physically and mentally.
If you’ve been injured in a hotel shooting in the greater Dallas area, don’t hesitate to contact Rochelle McCullough, LLP to schedule a complimentary, no-obligation case evaluation to learn more about how we can fight for your right to compensation.
We extend our personal injury legal services to help clients throughout Texas, including Dallas, & Fort Worth, as well as in Hot Springs, Arkansas. Committed to advocating for your rights and securing the compensation you deserve.