Hotel not liable for burglar’s attack on guests (Al-Najar (a protected party by her litigation friend) and others v Cumberland Hotel (London) Ltd)

Table of contents

• What are the practical implications of the decision?
• What was the background?
• What did the court decide?

Article summary

Personal Injury analysis: Neil Block QC, barrister at 39 Essex Chambers, examines the High Court’s decision in Al-Najar (a protected party by her litigation friend) and others v Cumberland Hotel (London) Ltd that a hotel proprietor owes a duty to guests to take reasonable care to protect them against injury caused by a third party’s criminal actions, but the defendant hotel had not breached its duty of care to the claimant guests who sustained very serious injuries when they were attacked in their room by a burglar.