Doctor attending medical conference sues hotel over slip and fall

A couple has sued a consortium of Chicago hotel businesses, alleging negligence in a 2013 shower accident.

Dr. Pablo Guajardo, and Lillian Guajardo filed a lawsuit March 20 in Cook County Circuit Court against Hilton Management, Hilton Worldwide Inc., Chicago Hilton, and Hilton Chicago Corporation, alleging premises negligence.

According to the complaint, the Guajardos rented a hotel room on the defendants’ premises at 720 S. Michigan Ave. for Guajardo to attend a medical conference when on March 22, 2013, Guajardo slipped and fell in the shower tub, striking his head, shoulder, arms and legs on the floor and sustaining injuries.

The suit states it was the duty of the Hilton defendants, individually and collectively, to act with due care and maintain a safe environment, particularly their rooms’ bathing facilities. The defendants were aware of defects in the bathtub and were negligent by allowing the shower-tub to become hazardous, failing to place anti-slip materials in the area and failing to warn patrons about it being slippery, the lawsuit says.

Guajardo claims permanent personal and pecuniary injuries causative of lost earnings and medical expenses. Lillian Guajardo alleges great emotional pain in witnessing the incident, lost companionship, and loss of sexual relations with her husband.

The plaintiffs seek damages in excess of $50,000, plus attorney fees and costs.

They are represented by attorney John Fitzpatrick of Fitzpatrick & Fitzpatrick in Chicago.

Cook County Circuit Court case number: 15-L-2877.