As home sharing grows in popularity worldwide, Airbnb is also becoming an increasingly larger target for people who view the network as having deep pockets.
Such as the case in Pinellas County Civil Court, where a Clearwater man who rented a private home in Miami for two nights slipped on a bathroom rug and fell after exiting the shower.
Sophorn Ly, 39, rented the home with seven other guests through Airbnb, the San Francisco-based company leading the peer-to-peer home sharing phenomenon.
After exiting the shower, Ly claims to have tripped on a rug lacking “proper non-slip backing,” leaving him with what he calls “severe and personal permanent injuries.”
But instead of suing the host, 41-year-old Juliana Terra Leite, Ly is turning his sights on Airbnb, claiming the company was negligent
Ly claims that it was Airbnb – not the homeowner – that had a responsibility to “ascertain the property … be in a reasonably safe condition.” Interestingly, he continues by declaring Airbnb “allowed” the rug to be placed at the home at 7712 SW 94th Terrace in Miami.
If Ly is successful in the suit, filed February 2 in Pinellas County, it could result in a significant change in the operation of Airbnb – which already requires individuals hosting through the network to submit any guest injuries to their own insurance companies first. The lawsuit does not indicate if either Ly or the homeowner took this initial step.
