Can my 6 year old get compensation for a hotel injury? 29 Answers as of February 17, 2012

Can your six-year-old get compensation from the hotel? Yes. They've already offered $500 for his damages. There are two issues involved here. The first is liability. I am very suspicious of the idea that the hotel fuse box burned out, causing your son's injury. Unless the hotel has clearly admitted that this was the cause of the injury, this will be a difficult case to litigate. Second, it may well be difficult to hold the hotel responsible if the injury was caused by fuse box. Third, without knowing the exact details of your son's injury, it is hard for me to one imagine that the damages are significant enough to warrant litigation.

If you sue, you have to be the plaintiff as guardian for your minor child. If you win, the money goes into a blocked account for the child to receive it at the age of 18. Whether $500 is enough depends on a number of different factors (i.e. the extent of medical care which was reasonable and necessary, etc.). You should call a personal injury attorney to discuss the matter.

First, I am sorry to hear about your child's injury. Electrical burns and shocks can be minor, but they also can be quite devastating. I would not accept the insurance company's offer until you have your child checked out by a neurologist. Any amount that you accept will be determined by the doctor's answer to the severity of your child's injury.

Yes. But what happened to the table lamp? You may need the table lamp to prove why is shorted out.

Several questions need to be answered here. First, what caused the electric shock? Was it really a fuse box burn out? That doesn't make sense to me, although I'm not an electrician. I would want to understand this to make sure others aren't shocked. As far as $500, how bad is he burned? Did he have medical treatment? Will there be permanency? The ultimate measure of what you can get is how much a judge or jury would give you. $500 may be fair or you may be able to get much more depending on the injuries. Good luck!

If your son is now okay, then take the money. It may prove difficult to establish that the hotel was at fault.

You may be able to receive more based on your son's injury. If his fingertip was simply burned then I don't think your damages are significant and $500.00 may actually be high. If he has a permanent injury to his fingers then the amount is too low.

The hotel is responsible if they should have known of the problem or inspected for it. If your son is fine take the offer. If he has on going problems such as numbness or scarring you should get quite alot more.

In order to determine if you should accept the offer, it must first be determined what your child's injury was. If it required any medical attention and if there were any lasting affects from same. You should contact a lawyer to further go over this facts of this case.

The answer to your actual Question ("Can my 6 year old get compensation for a hotel injury?") is yes assuming that your son did not intentionally do anything that caused him to get shocked and burned. If all your son was doing was turning the table lamp on or off, I do not see that he did anything wrong. As to the questions posted in the Detail section, I cannot answer whether $500.00 is a fair amount for your son's injuries. A lot more information would be necessary to determine what the case might be worth. A person is entitled to be compensated for an injury. A person is entitled to compensation, that is, money, for an injury (or injuries) based on the following factors: (1) The nature and extent of the injury, including whether the injury is temporary or permanent [and whether any resulting disability is partial or total]; (2) the reasonable value of the medical care and supplies reasonably needed by and actually provided to your son [and reasonably certain to be needed and provided in the future]; (3) the wages you lost caring for your son; (4) [the reasonable value of the earning capacity your son is reasonably certain to lose in the future]; (5) the physical pain and mental suffering your son has experienced [and is reasonably certain to experience in the future]; and (6) the "inconvenience" your son has experienced [and is reasonably certain to experience in the future]. The most important question is whether any of your son's injuries are permanent. If so, that dramatically changes the value of the case. Other than indicating your son got "shocked and burned" you do not indicate whether the burn left any permanent marks or any other residual effects. You also do not indicate whether your son received any medical treatment. Again, without more information I cannot answer whether you should accept the insurance company's offer or if you could get more. Most personal injury attorneys offer a free, initial consultation. I would strong suggest contacting an attorney. While they may not tell you exactly what your son's case is worth, the attorney could tell you whether they could get your son more. DISCLAIMER: This response is based on the limited information provided, makes certain assumptions, and assumes that all events took place in Nebraska. In addition, this response is not a substitute for professional legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship, nor is it a solicitation to offer legal advice. If you ignore this warning and convey confidential information in a private message or comment, there is no duty to keep that information confidential or forego representation adverse to your interests. You should seek the advice of a licensed attorney in the appropriate jurisdiction before taking any action that may affect your rights. If you believe you have a claim, you should consult an attorney immediately, otherwise there is a risk that the time allotted to bring your claim may expire.