Woman sues hotel after slipping on wet floor in restaurant outlet

A woman is suing the owner of Saipan World Resort for injuries she sustained when she allegedly slipped and fell at the beverage counter of the hotel’s restaurant.

Bernadita C. Aldan sued World Resort Corp., owner of the hotel, in federal court for negligence. Her husband, Miguel Aldan, joined as co-plaintiff and is suing the defendant for loss of consortium.

The Aldan couple, through the O’Connor law firm, asked the U.S. District Court for the NMI to order the defendant to pay them damages, court costs, and attorney’s fees.

Saipan Tribune repeatedly contacted Saipan World Resort yesterday afternoon for comment, but no one answered the phone.

According to the complaint, on Dec. 29, 2007 at 7:20am, Bernadita C. Aldan was a guest at a Saipan World Resort’s restaurant for breakfast. On her way to get a drink, she slipped and fell down near the beverage counter.

The complaint alleged that there was water on the floor by the beverage counter, which Mrs. Aldan did not see as there was no sign warning of the condition. Mrs. Aldan fell on her back and her left knee sustained a cut.

When the floor supervisor came over to assist Mrs. Aldan, he allegedly admitted to Mrs. Aldan that there was a drainage under the beverage counter and that the water had come from the drainage.

The complaint stated that the supervisor further admitted that he had been asking the hotel’s maintenance department to fix the problem, to no avail.

World Resort, the complaint said, was well aware that there was water on the floor by its beverage counter in the restaurant.

“Therefore it knew or should have known that the restaurant floor was wet and slippery. However, with reckless indifference to the rights of its guests and invitees, including Mrs. Aldan, the defendant took no precautions to either warn guests or to make the restaurant less slippery or otherwise less dangerous,” according to the lawsuit.

The fall allegedly caused Mrs. Sablan to suffer severe pain on her left leg, left knee, right leg, shoulder and lower back. She also had numbness on her right leg, right and left toes, and locked knees.

“Mrs. Aldan’s injuries required physical therapy and medical attention for several months. Mrs. Aldan is still recovering from her injuries,” the complaint said.

As a result of the injuries suffered by Mrs. Aldan, the complaint alleged that Mr. Aldan “has been deprived of the care, companionship, aid, society and services of his wife.”