ABA Family Legal Guide

Personal Injury

Negligence

Some Special Situations

I was staying at a motel when there was a fire, but there was no water sprinkler system and no escape route posted in the room. Isn't the motel required to have those safety precautions?

The motel management probably should have exercised reasonable care in maintaining the fire alarms and fire escapes, and they should have helped you escape. As in the case of the common carrier (discussed above), the law generally says that innkeepers, who have a special relationship with their guests, have a higher duty of care.