A slippery floor can change a pleasant stay into a nightmare

Many out-of-towners enjoy the hospitality of a resort hotel during their vacation or while they attend a special event such as a wedding.

The gleaming floors in the main lobby or along the corridor to a ballroom can pose danger in disguise to those unaware of slippery surfaces.

About slipping

A slip is a matter of losing traction between the bottom of your shoe and the surface on which you are walking. The result is likely a fall, and according to the National Safety Council, falls are responsible for almost a third of all non-fatal injuries across the U.S. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention bring this into perspective, adding that over 800,000 people require hospitalization annually due to injuries sustained after a fall.

The residue issue

Those gleaming hotel floors are certainly attractive, but if you slip and fall, the cleaning solution may be the culprit. If the cleaning crew does not sweep up all the residue from buffing the shine into that floor, the floor could become slippery. Fragrant cleaning products often contain oils that leave such a residue.

The right to compensation

The National Floor Safety Institute recommends certain field-tested cleaning chemicals that will maintain high traction, so there are safe alternatives to fragrant but dangerous floor-cleaning products. If you fall on a slippery floor on your way to the ballroom for a wedding reception, you may find you are on your way to the hospital instead. The owners of the hotel have a duty to provide safe areas for their guests. If you suffer an injury as the result of a slippery floor, you have the right to expect full and fair compensation for your medical expenses and more.