A Biloxi hotel guest ran into a woman while leaping for a football. Now there’s a lawsuit.
A California woman is suing a Biloxi hotel, claiming she suffered severe injuries when another patron leapt for a football and landed on her.
Bethany Villere was staying at the Best Western Oak Manor Hotel on U.S. 90 in Biloxi in February 2023 when she was allegedly injured. Villere said she was in South Mississippi to visit her sister, who was in the hospital.
In her lawsuit filed in Harrison County Circuit Court, Villere said that she went to the hotel office near a covered portico entryway into the hotel. There, other patrons were tossing around a football. One of the patrons leapt for a throw and landed on Villere, knocking her to the ground.
The lawsuit said Villere was immediately hospitalized and underwent emergency surgery.
Villere claims the accident happened because of the negligence of the hotel’s owner, Gama Corp. Gama knew of the unsafe environment under the entryway, she says, and did nothing to stop it or warn patrons about the dangerous conditions.
She says the hotel should have taken “reasonable care” to protect her from injury at “the hands of other patrons.”
Villere seeks unspecified monetary damages to cover pain and suffering, and medical bills.
As of Tuesday, Gama Corp. has not yet responded to the suit.
This story was originally published October 4, 2023 at 5:50 AM.