If you were sexually assaulted at a hotel or motel, you may be able to hold the property accountable, not just the person who hurt you. When a hotel or motel fails to take reasonable steps to keep guests safe, Texas law gives survivors a way to seek justice through a civil claim.
At Crowe Arnold & Majors, LLP, our Dallas sexual assault victim lawyers represent survivors throughout Dallas, Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Collin County, Denton County, and surrounding areas. Speaking with a hotel sexual assault lawyer in Dallas is confidential, and there is no pressure to make any decision before you are ready.
What Duty of Care Do Hotels Owe Their Guests in Texas?
Under Texas premises liability law, hotel guests are generally treated as invitees, meaning people who are on the property for the owner’s business benefit. Property owners owe invitees a duty of reasonable care, which means protecting guests from dangers the owner knows about or reasonably should know about.
For a hotel or motel, reasonable care often includes:
- Controlling who can reach guest floors and rooms
- Managing key cards and master keys carefully
- Screening and supervising employees, especially those with room access
- Keeping hallways, stairwells, and parking areas well lit
- Maintaining working locks, doors, and security cameras
- Responding promptly to guest complaints and safety concerns
If a hotel or motel falls short in any of these areas, and a guest is harmed as a result, the property may be held responsible under Texas law.
Hotels invite the public in and profit from every guest. When a hotel cuts corners and someone is hurt, survivors deserve answers and accountability, and we are committed to standing beside them.” – Attorney, Crowe Arnold & Majors, LLP
When Is a Hotel or Motel Legally Liable for a Sexual Assault?
A hotel is not automatically responsible for every crime on its property. Generally, a survivor needs to show that the assault was foreseeable and that the hotel failed to take reasonable steps to prevent it.
Texas courts generally look at whether the owner knew or should have known about the risk, including whether similar crimes happened on or near the property and how recently and often they occurred. Ignored complaints and known security gaps can also make an assault more foreseeable.
Hotels sometimes argue that the attacker alone is to blame. Under Texas’s proportionate responsibility rules, however, a jury can assign a share of responsibility to each party involved. A hotel that ignored obvious risks may still be held responsible for its share of the harm.
Dallas Lawyers Who Listen and Stand With Survivors
We work on a contingency fee basis, which means you owe nothing unless the firm recovers compensation on your behalf.
If you were sexually assaulted at a hotel or motel, schedule a free, confidential consultation with a Dallas sexual assault attorney from our team. We’ll listen to what happened, answer your questions, and explain your options, with no pressure to move forward until you’re ready.
What happened to you is not your fault. Hotels and motels have a responsibility to keep their guests reasonably safe, and when they fail to do so, they may be held accountable. Many assaults at these properties involve preventable security failures, such as broken door locks, poor lighting, inadequate security staff, careless key card practices, or employees who ignore warning signs. In some cases, a hotel may be liable even if the person who committed the assault was never charged or convicted.
Crowe Arnold & Majors, LLP has over 25 years of personal injury experience. We handle every case with discretion and respect, and we work to protect your privacy throughout the legal process. When a hotel or its insurer refuses to take responsibility, we do not hesitate to take matters to trial. Our law firm has recovered tens of millions of dollars in settlements and verdicts.
If you would like to talk with a member of our team, you can call us confidentially at (214) 231-0555. During your free consultation, we will walk you through what to expect at a pace that feels right for you. If you can’t come to our office, one of our attorneys can meet you somewhere you feel comfortable. You don’t have to go through this alone.
John W. Arnold,
Partner, Trial and Appellate Attorney
With over 25 years of experience, John is a seasoned trial and appellate attorney known for delivering results.
David W. Crowe
Partner, Personal Injury
For more than 30 years, David has been a powerful advocate and fighting for individuals harmed by negligence and abuse.
D.G. Majors
Trial Attorney, Personal Injury and Product Liability
D.G. is a trial lawyer with a strong track record of results in personal injury, product liability, and commercial litigation.
Staff-on-Guest Assault: Negligent Hiring and Supervision
If a hotel employee commits the assault, the hotel may be liable for negligent hiring, supervision, or retention. These claims focus on what the hotel did, or failed to do, before the assault, asking:
- Did the hotel run a background check before hiring?
- Did it ignore earlier complaints about the employee?
- Did the employee have unsupervised access to guest rooms?
- Did the hotel enforce its own rules about entering occupied rooms?
If the answers point to careless hiring or oversight, you may be able to sue a hotel for sexual assault in Texas based on the company’s own negligence.
If you were assaulted while working at a hotel, our workplace sexual assault attorneys can explain the options available to you.
Guest-on-Guest Assault: Negligent Security and Premises Liability
When another guest or an outsider commits the assault, the claim usually centers on negligent security, asking if reasonable security measures could have prevented the attack.
Common security failures include:
- A side entrance may be propped open
- Cameras may be broken or never monitored
- A parking lot may be poorly lit
- Front desk staff may hand out a room key or room number without verifying who is asking
- Staff may ignore reports of a guest behaving aggressively
Negligent security cases are often called premises liability sexual assault claims in Texas, because they rest on the property owner’s duty to keep the premises reasonably safe. At Crowe Arnold & Majors, a hotel negligent security attorney in Dallas can investigate the property’s security history, staffing, and policies to determine whether the hotel’s choices left guests exposed to foreseeable harm.
What Evidence Is Important in a Hotel Sexual Assault Case?
Evidence helps show what the hotel knew and failed to do, such as:
- Surveillance video from hallways, elevators, entrances, and parking areas
- Key card and door access logs
- Incident reports, guest complaints, and prior police calls to the property
- Employee files, background checks, and training records
- The hotel’s written security policies and staffing schedules
- Medical records, including any sexual assault examination
- Statements from witnesses, guests, or staff
Video footage may be overwritten if no one asks the hotel to preserve it, so acting early matters. Your attorney can send preservation letters, request records, and work with investigators to piece together what happened.
What Compensation Can Survivors Recover in a Civil Lawsuit?
A civil claim cannot undo what happened, but it can help cover the costs of healing. Depending on the facts, survivors may recover damages for:
- Medical care, counseling, and therapy
- Lost income and reduced earning capacity
- Pain, emotional distress, and mental anguish
In cases involving gross negligence, Texas law may also allow exemplary damages, which are meant to punish especially serious misconduct.
Our firm’s case results in sexual assault cases include a $3.3 million settlement for a client assaulted by a restaurant manager and a $1.2 million settlement involving a massage therapist. Every case is different, and past results do not predict future outcomes.
Texas Sexual Assault Case Results
Massage therapist sexual assault settlement.
Settlement involving client who was raped at fast-food restaurant by a manager.
Clergy Abuse Settlement.
How a Civil Claim Differs From a Criminal Case
The state brings a criminal case to punish the offender, and prosecutors must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
A survivor brings a civil case to seek compensation, and the standard is lower: showing your claims are more likely true than not.
You may file a civil claim whether or not criminal charges were filed, and whether or not the case led to a conviction. To protect their privacy, survivors may also be able to proceed under a pseudonym, such as Jane Doe, in civil court filings. For broader context, you can also review sexual assault statistics in Texas.
How Long Do You Have to File a Hotel Sexual Assault Lawsuit in Texas?
Adult survivors of sexual assault generally have five years to file a civil lawsuit under Section 16.0045 of the Texas Civil Practice and Remedies Code. Survivors who were assaulted as children generally have until 30 years after their 18th birthday.
Claims against a hotel can raise questions about which deadline applies, and evidence can disappear long before any deadline. Speaking with a motel sexual assault attorney in Texas at Crowe Arnold & Majors early can help protect your options.
You Deserve Answers
Coming forward takes courage. Crowe Arnold & Majors brings more than 65 years of collective legal experience and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars in verdicts and settlements for injured clients. We handle the investigation, evidence, and negotiations with the hotel’s insurers so you can focus on healing.
We work on a contingency fee basis, which means you pay no fee unless we recover compensation for you. When you are ready, contact us to schedule a free, confidential case evaluation. If you need immediate support, the RAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline is available 24/7 at 800-656-4673.
Our Dallas Location
You can find our office in Bank of America Plaza at 901 Main Street in downtown Dallas. We’re near Dealey Plaza, the JFK Memorial, Renaissance Tower, and the AT&T Discovery District.
6550 Bank of America Plaza
901 Main St.
P: 214-231-0555