A hotel and its associated service company have been directed to pay Rs 32,899 to a 70-year-old guest who suffered severe back injuries after slipping on an accumulation of water and soap foam inside his room’s bathroom during a stay in Delhi.
The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission in Chandigarh held that the hospitality providers failed to maintain guest accommodations in a reasonably safe condition, establishing a deficiency in service. The two-member bench, comprising President Pawanjit Singh and member Brij Mohan Sharma, issued the order ex parte after the hotel management failed to appear or contest the proceedings.
Details Of The Incident
According to the complaint, the senior citizen had been enrolled as a platinum member in the hotel chain’s dining club since 2019 and had booked a complimentary single-night stay at the Delhi establishment.
While using the bathroom, the guest slipped and fell heavily due to soapy water that had allegedly seeped across the floor from an air-conditioning duct leak. The impact resulted in intense lower-back pain that left him unable to stand, forcing him to crawl out of the bathroom into the room to summon room service. Hotel staff subsequently arrived and used towels to clear the pooled water and foam.
Medical Treatment And Evidence
An in-house doctor examined the injured guest at the property, prescribed immediate medication, and recommended that he visit a hospital for specialized care. Over the succeeding months, the complainant underwent hospital consultations, diagnostic testing, and prolonged physiotherapy sessions to manage persistent back pain.
The complainant submitted photographic documentation of the wet bathroom floor, alongside medical prescriptions, hospital bills, and physiotherapy invoices, to support his claim for compensation and reimbursement of healthcare costs.
The Commission’s Findings
The commission observed that the complainant’s immediate notification to staff, the on-site examination by the hotel’s doctor, and the submitted medical records substantiated the sequence of events and the subsequent treatment. With no counter-arguments or defense presented by the hotel or its associated entity, the bench accepted the evidence as unrebutted.
Out of the Rs 28,899 initially sought by the guest for treatment, the forum approved Rs 25,899 as verified by receipts on record. The commission ordered the opposite parties to pay that sum for medical costs, along with a lump-sum award of Rs 7,000 to cover legal fees and compensate for mental agony and harassment.
