LIABILITY OF HOSPITALITY FIRMS FOR DEATHS ON PREMISES: RECENT COURT CASES AND METHODS FOR PREVENTION

Proprietors and employees need to be prepared when deaths occur in hospital-ity establishments. Lawsuits involving deaths-both homicides and accidents—are frequent. Innkeepers and restaurateurs are held to a standard of ordinary care, with innkeepers having around-the-clock responsibilities and restaurateurs having re-sponsibility for much shorter periods of time. Water, fire, food, alcoholic beverages, and vehicles are among the most common causes of accidental deaths. The outcomes of some cases hinge upon what constitutes proximate cause of death. Wrongful death and survival claims are the bases for remedies in death cases. Practical measures for reducing the likelihood of deaths and ensuing legal problems pertain to security, accident prevention, policy adoption and implementation, record keeping, employee training, and insurance coverage. Key words: negligence, long-arm statutes, general and specific jurisdiction, the duty of care, strict liability, wrongful death. Hospitality industry marketing consistently conveys an image of pleasure