If you’ve been hurt while staying at an Airbnb or other short-term rental, you’re not alone—and you may have legal options. Airbnb, VRBO, and similar platforms have changed how people travel.
Instead of hotels, travelers often stay in homes or apartments rented by everyday property owners. But unlike hotels, these properties may not always meet safety standards—and when accidents happen, things can get complicated. Let’s break it down.
It's proven that many Airbnb properties lack basic safety features. A Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health study, published in Injury Prevention found:
Common injuries at Airbnb rentals include:
If you're hurt at an Airbnb, VRBO, or other short-term or vacation rental:
In most cases, the property owner or host is responsible for keeping the property safe, not Airbnb itself.
In Massachusetts, the law says that a property owner (or whomever is in control of the property) must act with responsible care to keep guests safe. That means fixing hazards they know about—or should know about—and warning guests of hidden danger.
If a guest gets injured because the owner didn't act responsibly, the owner may be legally liable for things like:
Most of the time, no. Airbnb has built-in legal protections that make it very hard to sue them successfully. Courts have ruled that Airbnb:
That said, Airbnb does offer Host Liability insurance, which can cover up to $1 million in damages if a host is found legally responsible.
But keep in mind: This coverage doesn't apply to everything It usually won't cover injuries caused intentionally or from issues like car accidents or contagious diseases.
Massachusetts takes a modern approach to premises liability. Instead of focusing on whether a guest was “invited” or a “licensee,” the law says that any lawful visitor must be protected with reasonable care.
That means:
Massachusetts also has building codes that property owners must follow. If an Airbnb doesn't meet those codes, the violation may be used as proof of negligence.
At Spada Law Group, we've been helping injury victims for over 30 years. We understand the complex legal issues that come with Airbnb injuries, especially when the property isn't up to code or the host was careless.
If you've been injured in a short-term rental, we'll investigate the facts, identify the responsible party, and fight for the compensation you deserve.
Your consultation is free. If we don't win, YOU DON'T PAY. Call us today or start a live chat right here on this page.
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Best of all, you have nothing to lose by meeting us. You are under no obligation to hire us after we meet for our initial consultation, and you won’t owe us a dime unless and until we successfully resolve your case. We invite you to get more information from our website and to call us when you’re ready to talk.
