Motel room robbed by employee

[icunurse]

What is the name of your state? Washington

I live in Montana, and flew out to Washington 1/20/08 for the birth of my 1st grandchild. Currently I am on extended medical leave from my job due to 3 herniated lumbar discs. I checked into a motel at 3 pm, and left at 5 pm for dinner. When I returned at 9 pm, I discovered my room had been robbed. I had a large prescription of percocet (prescription narcotics) stolen, as well as my airline e-ticket. I went to the front desk, and they the called police for me. The police arrive, and refuse to even file a report because there is "no evidence of breaking and entering". There was fresh snow outside the window of my room, and no tracks. They also state that the 1 employee working at the front desk told them no-one was even down the hall.

The next morning I go to complain to the manager about the theft and tell her I believe it was one of the motel employees. She is completely shocked to hear about the event...."He didn't tell me anything about this!!!!" meaning the clerk I dealt with. "He would have had to inform me!!!" She keeps insisting that only my key card was used to enter my room (she ran a key card report). She finally lets me see this report and of course it shows that my room was entered at 7pm. Her statement "I know who THAT was!" She admits it was an employee but that it's not breaking and entering if it's an employee. I checked in at 3pm....no maid service would have been required that night.

I call the police again, and this time they finally take a report because I am furious and insist upon it. They tell me it will be up to a detective to decide whether they do anything with it.....which I'm sure means that nothing will be done. I had to suffer pain for a month with no prescription pain medication because of this theft. I wish to know what to do to sue this hotel and force them to release the name of the employee who entered my room to sue him as well. I am pretty positive it was the clerk who conveniately didn't the theft to management.

 

[Shay-Pari'e]

What is the name of your state? Washington

I live in Montana, and flew out to Washington 1/20/08 for the birth of my 1st grandchild. Currently I am on extended medical leave from my job due to 3 herniated lumbar discs. I checked into a motel at 3 pm, and left at 5 pm for dinner. When I returned at 9 pm, I discovered my room had been robbed. I had a large prescription of percocet (prescription narcotics) stolen, as well as my airline e-ticket. I went to the front desk, and they the called police for me. The police arrive, and refuse to even file a report because there is "no evidence of breaking and entering". There was fresh snow outside the window of my room, and no tracks. They also state that the 1 employee working at the front desk told them no-one was even down the hall.

The next morning I go to complain to the manager about the theft and tell her I believe it was one of the motel employees. She is completely shocked to hear about the event...."He didn't tell me anything about this!!!!" meaning the clerk I dealt with. "He would have had to inform me!!!" She keeps insisting that only my key card was used to enter my room (she ran a key card report). She finally lets me see this report and of course it shows that my room was entered at 7pm. Her statement "I know who THAT was!" She admits it was an employee but that it's not breaking and entering if it's an employee. I checked in at 3pm....no maid service would have been required that night.

I call the police again, and this time they finally take a report because I am furious and insist upon it. They tell me it will be up to a detective to decide whether they do anything with it.....which I'm sure means that nothing will be done. I had to suffer pain for a month with no prescription pain medication because of this theft. I wish to know what to do to sue this hotel and force them to release the name of the employee who entered my room to sue him as well. I am pretty positive it was the clerk who conveniately didn't the theft to management.

Why would you have had to go a month without your pain killers? Surely you notified your doctor of this event.

PS. The key card entry could have been your's, therefore no proof. Any camera's to witness this?

 

[icunurse]

I had to go without my meds for that month because I had just had a month's worth filled. As a nurse, I can tell you that physicians will NOT replace missing prescription narcotics....claiming your meds were stolen is what people who sell them on the street or are addicted do. There was simply no point of even trying, plus my Dr. is in Mt. and it happened in Wa.

The key card report DID show it was an employee...employees are given a master key that shows up on the report. The manager refused to tell me if they have cameras, she was angry that I called the police back again.

Thanks for reading and replying.

 

[Shay-Pari'e]

I had to go without my meds for that month because I had just had a month's worth filled. As a nurse, I can tell you that physicians will NOT replace missing prescription narcotics....claiming your meds were stolen is what people who sell them on the street or are addicted do. There was simply no point of even trying, plus my Dr. is in Mt. and it happened in Wa.

The key card report DID show it was an employee...employees are given a master key that shows up on the report. The manager refused to tell me if they have cameras, she was angry that I called the police back again.

Thanks for reading and replying.

As a patient, I can tell YOU that if this was a one time thing, it could have been refilled. Been there, done that. Lost all med's on a boating trip last year. Called the doc, and it was refilled to the nearest pharmacy.

 

[lealea1005]

I had to go without my meds for that month because I had just had a month's worth filled. As a nurse, I can tell you that physicians will NOT replace missing prescription narcotics....claiming your meds were stolen is what people who sell them on the street or are addicted do. There was simply no point of even trying, plus my Dr. is in Mt. and it happened in Wa.

The key card report DID show it was an employee...employees are given a master key that shows up on the report. The manager refused to tell me if they have cameras, she was angry that I called the police back again.

Thanks for reading and replying.

Percocets cannot be dispensed without a written prescription, however, you still has a couple of choices you could have tried: ask to have a small amount of Lortab called in to hold you over until you arrived back in WA, OR see a Physician in MT who could have called the prescribing Physician in WA to verify your prescription.

Stealing your airline ticket is useless because photo ID is needed. You could have easily been re-ticketed at the airport.

Congratulations on the birth of your grandchild.

 

[Shay-Pari'e]

Percocets cannot be dispensed without a written prescription, however, you still has a couple of choices you could have tried: ask to have a small amount of Lortab called in to hold you over until you arrived back in WA, OR see a Physician in MT who could have called the prescribing Physician in WA to verify your prescription.

Stealing your airline ticket is useless because photo ID is needed. You could have easily been re-ticketed at the airport.

Congratulations on the birth of your grandchild.

I completely hear you, but! If she lost her meds , the Doctor could have, should have, (And most likely wold) , give her a new script.

Unless this is a ongoing promblem.

 

[lealea1005]

I completely hear you, but! If she lost her meds , the Doctor could have, should have, (And most likely wold) , give her a new script.

Unless this is a ongoing promblem.

Absolutely! Kind of surprises me, with OP being an ICU Nurse, she wouldn't already know how it all works. Fishy, IMHO.

 

[ErinGoBragh]

I agree. I lost an almost full narcotic I occasionally have to take for anxiety last year, all I had to do was go to my Dr.'s office to pick up a script. They gave me no trouble about it whatsoever, but then it's something I only get refilled twice a year. I highly suspect something's up with this OP...

 

[xylene]

Why are we giving the poster the business?

I don't find the posters contention all that suspicious.

Replacing prescription medication away from home is a HUGE pain.

Narcotics. Fagetaboutit.

Also, as the poster is a healthcare provider, I could see EXACTLY why see would not want to even give any appearance of drug seeking behaviour.

Not that it would in ANY WAY suggest this reasoning entitles the poster to damages, but it damn well is understandable.

As for the airline ticket... lots of people steal documents they may not be able to use.

All in all form the information presented, I find it much more reasonable that a motel would try to cover for a thieving employee to avoid trouble than the accusations leveled at the OP.

 

[cbg]

On at least two occasions, the hotel where I worked had thefts reported where the guest KNEW it was an employee who stole (whatever) from their rooms. On one occasion, after they checked out the housekeepers found the missing item fallen behind the bureau; on the other, the guest very sheepishly called back a few days later to admit that they had found the missing item in the car.

 

[quincy]

This really has nothing to do with defamation. . . .

It also really does not matter how easily items stolen from a hotel room can be replaced, or whether items stolen from a hotel room can be used by the thief who stole them.

If items were stolen from your hotel room, and it can be shown that only an employee of the hotel had access to the room while you were gone, then you can sue the hotel for negligence. Hotels generally have signs in the rooms that say they are not responsible for items taken - and that you should not leave valuables in the room - however, hotels also have a responsibility to their guests to ensure the safety of their guests and their guests' belongings from theft by hotel employees.

I would consult with an attorney to see if there is any action here worth pursuing. The cost of replacing the items stolen may not justify the costs of bringing suit, however, and whether to sue (which anyone can do at any time for any reason) will be entirely up to you. The hotel, in facing a suit, however, may be willing to settle with you to avoid costly litigation.

Again, seek the advice of an attorney in your area.

 

[BoredAtty]

If items were stolen from your hotel room, and it can be shown that only an employee of the hotel had access to the room while you were gone, then you can sue the hotel for negligence.

Successfully suing for negligence would be tough, and would require proving much more than the mere fact that an employee stole the OP's items. What is your theory?

 

[You Are Guilty]

Successfully suing for negligence would be tough, and would require proving much more than the mere fact that an employee stole the OP's items. What is your theory?

Although I know what you're getting at, I'll play a little devil's advocate on Quincy's behalf - what if the employee had a felony record for burglary when he/she was hired?

 

[xylene]

Although I know what you're getting at, I'll play a little devil's advocate on Quincy's behalf - what if the employee had a felony record for burglary when he/she was hired?

Or more simply, what if this was not the first incident the management knew about. As suggested by their reaction...

 

[quincy]

BoredAtty - I think YAG's and Xylene's theories sound good - I'll go with them.