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Jesus. I have called hotel front desks when I could hear fighting and believed someone may be at risk, and the hotel staff immediately came to check on the person. They just call the cops if it is something they can't handle. They don't do nothing.
Obviously, there is a lot more to the legal situation than is reported in the media story and is known to the posters here. The legal outcome will be interesting.
No matter what the legal determination is, the right thing for the hotel to do is to check on the person and call an ambulance if the person isn't ok.
If someone reported water dripping from the ceiling in the room below the one occupied by the guest who committed suicide, would the hotel have no options if the guest who committed suicide had asked not to be disturbed?
That would be a different situation entirely. Knock on door. No answer use pass key to get in and check leak.
Quote:
Originally Posted by imagineAA
No matter what the legal determination is, the right thing for the hotel to do is to check on the person and call an ambulance if the person isn't ok.
No the right thing would be for the person suspecting there may be a problem to call 911. The hotel should not even confirm that person is there to an anonymous caller. The hotel staff can not just go waltzing into someone's room.
That would be a different situation entirely. Knock on door. No answer use pass key to get in and check leak.
No the right thing would be for the person suspecting there may be a problem to call 911. The hotel should not even confirm that person is there to an anonymous caller. The hotel staff can not just go waltzing into someone's room.
The caller was not anonymous.
If you are there to check the leak and the guest says go away, what do you do?
If someone calls requesting a welfare check, why not just knock, if no one answers, go in. If someone answers, make up a reason to check the room: leak downstairs.
This case shows what happens when people are too inflexible with policies.
If you are there to check the leak and the guest says go away, what do you do?
If someone calls requesting a welfare check, why not just knock, if no one answers, go in. If someone answers, make up a reason to check the room: leak downstairs.
This case shows what happens when people are too inflexible with policies.
Law enforcement does welfare checks, not hotel staff.
Law enforcement does welfare checks, not hotel staff.
I did not know that only law enforcement could do a welfare check.
In this case, had the hotel staff done so it seems there might have been a different outcome, which is the point of the lawsuit. Why would the clerk not offer to call 911 if he did not want to do what was asked?
In a split decision a Georgia Court decided a similar case in favor of a motel five years ago:
The question in my mind is not whether checking on a guest is required by law but whether it is the ethical thing to do. If I were the clerk I would check on the guest. If he was in distress, I might save his life. If not, the worst I would have to do is apologize. If the guest complained and I got fired, I would rather have that happen than have someone die who could have been saved.
Problem is even if the clerk checked the guest - the guest could have been alright and after the clerk left he could have killed himself.
I do think that ethically - people need to be more concerned for others but it's like this all over. My cousin lives in a senior apt - an old school building that has been converted into apts for older individuals with low income. A woman down the hall - had not picked up her paper outside her door for a couple of days. The management - who has offices in the building was notified. They told the resident who reported it to call the police. The woman in the apt. had actually fallen and broken her hip and laid there for 2 1/2 days. It boggled me that someone in management did not come down and at least check to see if the individual was alright after being notified. What the heck are the even there for?
If you are there to check the leak and the guest says go away, what do you do?
If someone calls requesting a welfare check, why not just knock, if no one answers, go in. If someone answers, make up a reason to check the room: leak downstairs.
This case shows what happens when people are too inflexible with policies.
Unless there was smoke or gas odor I would not enter if guest denied entry.
Quote:
Originally Posted by suzy_q2010
I did not know that only law enforcement could do a welfare check.
In this case, had the hotel staff done so it seems there might have been a different outcome, which is the point of the lawsuit. Why would the clerk not offer to call 911 if he did not want to do what was asked?
In a split decision a Georgia Court decided a similar case in favor of a motel five years ago:
The question in my mind is not whether checking on a guest is required by law but whether it is the ethical thing to do. If I were the clerk I would check on the guest. If he was in distress, I might save his life. If not, the worst I would have to do is apologize. If the guest complained and I got fired, I would rather have that happen than have someone die who could have been saved.
The hotel staff has no idea who is actually calling or what is going on. On the other hand if there is a real indication that something is wrong or some one may be in danger staff should notify authorities be it police or medical.
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Well, if I thought my husband was holed up in a hotel, and going to hurt himself, I would get in my car, or call a cab and go to the hotel and make a scene.
Even if the staff did not want to check on my husband, they would call Police on me. When the Police arrived, they would probably check out my story. Granted, it might prove to be embarrassing, but we are talking about the love of my life here, right?
Exactly how far is Hollywood from West Hollywood?
Had he gone there and made a scene and the hotel called the police, and still no one did anything but file a report and/or arrest him - I would probably feel he had a much stronger case against the hotel. Even then, that doesn't mean that the person who committed suicide didn't do it immediately after entering their room.
Quote:
Originally Posted by suzy_q2010
The caller was not anonymous.
There is no way to instantly verify the identity of any caller, unless maybe if he called a 911 operator. Even with caller ID, its just a number recorded that someone needs to research. It's a random voice on the phone, claiming they are someone, and laying out a rather unusual request.
Last edited by ConeyGirl52; 06-14-2016 at 06:02 AM..
Unless there was smoke or gas odor I would not enter if guest denied entry.
The hotel staff has no idea who is actually calling or what is going on. On the other hand if there is a real indication that something is wrong or some one may be in danger staff should notify authorities be it police or medical.
The person making the call to the hotel, if it is indeed a legitimate call, is in a much better position to inform the police of why there may be a problem than the hotel staff.
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