A lawsuit filed on July 16, 2024, in the Superior Court of California, County of Santa Clara, alleges that a prominent hotel chain failed to maintain safe conditions for its guests. The plaintiff, Haichuan Xu, represented by Easton & Easton LLP, has brought forth serious accusations against Hilton Worldwide Holdings, Inc., doing business as Juniper Hotel Cupertino, Curio Collection by Hilton.
The complaint centers around an incident that occurred on August 14, 2022. According to the filing, Xu was staying at the Juniper Hotel Cupertino when he slipped in the bathtub of his room and suffered a severe laceration from a broken porcelain soap holder. The lawsuit claims that the bathtub's smooth surface becomes dangerously slippery when wet and that no safety measures such as slip-resistant appliques or grab bars were installed to mitigate this risk. Additionally, it is alleged that the soap holder was already in a state of disrepair with visible cracks before the incident.
Xu asserts that Hilton and its employees were negligent in maintaining the safety of their premises. "Defendants had notice of the unreasonable risk of harm because they created this condition," states the complaint. It further alleges that despite knowing about these hazardous conditions for an extended period, Hilton failed to take any remedial actions to protect their guests. The lawsuit emphasizes that such negligence led directly to Xu's injuries and subsequent suffering.
The plaintiff is seeking several forms of relief from the court. These include non-economic damages for physical and emotional pain and suffering, reimbursement for medical expenses incurred due to the injury, compensation for lost income and diminished earning capacity, as well as prejudgment interest and coverage of legal costs.
Representing Xu are attorneys Brian W. Easton and Gabriel M. Mendoza from Easton & Easton LLP. The case is being reviewed by Judge C. Roman under Case ID 24CV443196.