One particularly enjoyable part of reporting news is keeping an eye on it. And some eye keeping of course is more enjoyable, new school generally more so than old school, being less restricted, and more forthright.
One such media outlet is US travel website, Skift, who also operate a good email newsletter.
Yesterday one headline particularly caught our eye – Someone Says They Caught Coronavirus at Your Hotel: Now What?
Following interviews with US lawyers the article examines the likelihood of people claiming damages for contracting Covid-19 at a hotel. It poses the argument that Covid-19 could become a new legal frontier for lawyers. The article rather ominously focuses on when, and not if.
Covid-19 the new PPI – crossing the Atlantic
If this were to become common in US courtrooms how long before similar lawsuits travel across the Atlantic and arrive in the UK?
In the article a medical conference held at the Marriott Long Wharf in Boston in February was given as a potential example. The conference was labelled a ‘super spreader’ where the attendees unknowingly contracted the virus and later passed it on upon returning to homes in states like Tennessee and North Carolina. The article does stress that no legal claims have been made against to the Marriott Long Wharf in Boston.
At a time when social distancing is a key combative measure against the spread of the virus, group events, at hotels and elsewhere, could be seen as a hospitality liability.
The article goes on to examine many sides of an argument that could develop between hospitality providers and guests.
Covid-19 the new PPI – a high burden of proof
The article concludes: While it may be a legal headache and the burden of proof is high, attorneys still anticipate a litigious dam to break with respect to coronavirus.
The full article can be seen here, and we recommend it, it is a well written and researched piece, albeit a concerning one.
All Covid-19 News can be seen here.
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