Nationwide Hotel Rape and Sexual Assault Lawyers

Our Nationally Recognized Sexual Assault and Hotel Sex Abuse Lawyers Will Hold Your Abuser Accountable

When you are sexually assaulted at a hotel or resort, you face not only the trauma of the attack itself but also the betrayal of an establishment that failed its most basic duty to protect you. Hotels and resorts maintain a legal obligation to provide adequate security measures, yet countless victims discover their assailants gained access through inadequate locks, broken cameras, or negligent security protocols that prioritized profit over safety.

Lipcon, Margulies & Winkleman, P.A. are the nation’s leader in hotel sexual assault litigation. Founded in 1971 and advocating for sexual assault victims for more than 50 years, our 19 attorneys across 7 offices nationwide have successfully recovered over $500 million for clients. Five of our personal injury lawyers have been named to “Best Lawyers”®, and our law firm has been selected as one of the “Best Law Firms”® in America by US News & World Report for nearly a decade. We handle hotel sexual assault cases nationwide, holding both perpetrators and negligent property owners accountable for the harm they caused.

Is Your Hotel As Safe As You Think?

Staying at a hotel should be a comforting, safe, and relaxing experience. Many people expect hotels to provide adequate security, safety, and shelter while vacationing, traveling for work, or simply treating themselves to a weekend getaway. The last thing you want to think about while staying in hotel guest rooms is your safety and the safety of the ones you love. Every hotel or resort has a legal duty to take reasonable security measures to minimize or reduce the risk of hotel sexual assault, a “hidden epidemic” impacting resort, hotel, and cruise ship guests across the world.

Unfortunately, this standard of reasonable care is not always met. Our hotel sexual assault attorneys have handled many cases that involved inadequate security, cameras that were either not functioning or non-existent, improper room key storage and access, and other issues of negligent security that led directly to a preventable sex crime being committed. In recent years, sexual assault cases have increased in the hospitality industry for both hotel guests and hotel employees.Working with experienced hotel sexual assault attorneys is an important step to take if you have been sexually assaulted, especially when property owners failed to take reasonable security measures to protect guests from harm.

The scope of sexual assault in hospitality settings is well-documented by government surveys. According to the National Crime Victimization Survey, hotels account for approximately 0.3% of violent crimes each year, which translates to nearly 8,000 sexual assaults reported in hotel settings annually. However, experts emphasize that many more incidents go unreported, making the true scope of this problem significantly larger.

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What To Do If You Are A Victim Of Rape Or Sexual Assault At A Hotel

Taking immediate action following a hotel sexual assault is critical for both your safety and your legal case.

1. Report the Incident to Local Authorities
   Becoming a victim of rape or sexual assault taken place at a hotel or resort is a horrific and traumatic experience. Speaking about the incident can be difficult and uncomfortable, but it is important that hotel sexual assault victims report the incident as soon as possible. If you are a victim, you should notify the hotel or hotel security, but you must also notify local authorities. This is because there are times when hotel security is more interested in protecting the company than in protecting your rights. Accordingly, it is crucial for your legal case that you contact an attorney experienced in handling sexual assault cases as well as notify local law enforcement as soon as possible. An experienced sex assault attorney will help guide you through giving a statement to law enforcement and direct you to other medical and mental health resources to help you.
2. Document Evidence
   This may be challenging right after a life-changing event, but it is a key element of your case. Photograph the scene of the crime, if possible, and take notes about the incidents that occurred before and after the sexual assault. If possible, seek medical attention soon after. The medical examiner will document any signs of physical harm.
3. Contact an experienced lawyer
   When facing a legal burden related to rape and sexual assault, it is important to have a skilled sexual assault lawyer on your side. Many individuals do not realize that the perpetrators of sex related crimes can be held responsible for their actions. Our hotel sexual assault lawyers are here to help provide closure for victims and hold negligent parties accountable to prevent similar incidents from happening in the future.

The Types of Civil Damages Awarded in Sex Crime Lawsuits

When pursuing a civil claim against a perpetrator or other at-fault party, such as hotel owners, victims can seek a wide range of damages that hotel sexual assault attorneys can identify, calculate, and then argue for on their behalf.

Civil damages in a personal injury claim are divided into several different categories, which will be explained in detail below:

Building a Strong Case: Strategies, Evidence, and Legal Tactics

In cases of hotel sexual assault, the hotel failed you as a guest: You have a right to hold the liable parties responsible for your suffering, and building a strong case is critical if you have been the victim of sexual assault. Your hotel sexual assault lawyer will handle this process for you and will use a range of approaches. The following section will review just a few of these key strategies and tactics designed to recover the maximum compensation for you.

Conducting Thorough Investigations

Your attorney knows that a thorough investigation is the foundation of any strong case. They will interview potential witnesses, including hotel staff, guests, and eyewitnesses, and examine hotel records, including surveillance footage, employee training manuals, and incident reports related to your case.

Settlements and Compensation: Negotiating a Fair Resolution

Once your attorney has built the foundation of your case, they will need to present the damages they have calculated. Some cases go all the way through trial, but many cases also resolve or settle prior to trial. In our experience, many defendants prefer settlement because of the sensitive nature of the allegations, and thus, there is a desire to keep the matter out of the press. When settlement is pursued, you can expect a series of negotiations between your attorney and the at-fault party to come up with a fair settlement value to resolve your case.

Negotiations can be difficult to entertain, as victims of rape, sexual harassment, or other sexual abuse are often quickly overwhelmed. Your attorney will be able to handle this entire process on your behalf, so you can avoid the added stress and instead, you can focus on moving forward from the unwanted sexual contact you endured and getting your life back on track. Having said that, it is critically important to understand that the rape victim is the only one with the authority to actually resolve the case. Your attorney will give you his/her advice and recommendation about what constitutes a fair settlement, but it is always the client who makes the ultimate decision(s) regarding settlement.

If your attorney is able to reach a fair resolution, then you may not even need to file a lawsuit; however, if negotiations prove unsatisfactory, then the next step may be to prepare for trial.

Hotel Sexual Assault Prevention Measures

Hotels also maintain obligations to respond appropriately when incidents occur, including encouraging employees to report assaults without fear of retaliation, ensuring Human Resources and law enforcement are notified promptly, and implementing corrective measures to prevent future incidents.

When hotels fail to take these preventative steps, they may be held liable for sexual assault that occurs on their premises. Common warning signs of inadequate hotel security include visible prostitution activity, large groups congregating in parking lots or lobbies without staff intervention, failure to validate guest identification at check-in, and absence of security personnel or surveillance cameras.

Hotel Rape FAQs

After you’ve been violently attacked and raped in a hotel, you may be left with a million questions running through your mind all at once. We have seen firsthand how traumatizing it can be for victims of sexual assault to attempt to recount the attack and provide the details needed to prove liability and negligence. In our years working with survivors like you, we have come to recognize some of the most common questions you might have regarding hotel rapes and your opportunities for justice.

With this in mind, we have answered some of the most frequently asked questions below surrounding rapes in hotels. If you have additional questions we did not address here, please do not hesitate to contact our office to discuss them in more detail.

Our Track Record in Hotel Sexual Assault Cases

Our extensive experience handling cases like these makes us uniquely equipped to help you maximize your financial compensation and ensure the at-fault party is held accountable. Our 19 attorneys across 7 offices nationwide have recovered over $500 million for clients, including substantial compensation for hotel sexual assault survivors. We handle every case with the sensitivity, confidentiality, and aggressive advocacy you deserve. Call our office at 877-233-1238 or fill out our online contact form to schedule a confidential and free consultation with one of our compassionate and empathetic attorneys.