Yana's slip injury claim in Limerick shows how businesses must protect guests from obvious hazards
Yana was enjoying a summer afternoon at a Limerick hotel's leisure complex. She'd been swimming and had come out of the pool to grab a towel from her sun lounger. As she walked across the tiled area near the pool edge, her bare feet suddenly lost grip on the wet surface. She fell hard, twisting her ankle and scraping her shoulder badly. Other guests rushed over to help her. The hotel staff were apologetic but seemed unsurprised by what had happened — she later learned this wasn't the first complaint about slippery poolside tiles.
Yana spent the next few weeks in pain. Physiotherapy helped her ankle, but the emotional impact lingered. She felt angry that something so preventable had hurt her. When she looked at the poolside area properly for the first time since the accident, she realised there were no anti-slip mats, no warning signs, and no grip coating on the tiles despite it being a wet, active swimming area. A busy poolside is exactly where people slip — the hotel should have known better.
When Yana sought legal advice, it became clear the hotel had fallen short of its duty of care. Hotels must take reasonable steps to protect guests from obvious risks. A wet poolside with bare feet is an obvious risk. Anti-slip matting, textured surfaces, or clear warning signs are standard in the hospitality industry. The hotel had none of these. Yana's legal team gathered evidence of her injuries, medical records, and photographs showing the conditions on the day. They also looked into the hotel's safety policies and maintenance records. The hotel's insurer reviewed the facts and accepted liability. Yana received compensation that covered her medical costs, lost earnings, and pain and suffering.
Hotels and public venues have a legal duty of care towards their guests under Irish law. This means they must keep their premises reasonably safe and must take steps to prevent foreseeable injuries. A wet poolside is a known hazard — water on hard tiles creates a slip risk that any reasonable business should anticipate and protect against. If a business fails to provide basic safety measures like anti-slip surfaces or warnings, and someone is injured as a result, the business can be held liable for compensation. The injured person must show that the business owed them a duty, breached that duty, and that breach caused their injury.
If you've been injured in a slip or fall at a business premises in Ireland, you have two years from the date of your injury to bring a claim. After two years, your right to claim expires and you may lose the chance to pursue compensation entirely. Even if you're unsure whether you have a strong case, it's worth seeking legal advice early. Time passes quickly, and evidence becomes harder to gather as months go by.
Tell Sarah what happened. She will explain your options and match you with the right solicitor in your county — free.