One of the first consulations I did at the law firm was a head scratcher. This woman went to Odessa, TX and booked a three night stay at a budget motel. The premises were apparently so unsafe that she was forced to stay inside her room for the majority of the day. When she did go out once a day for ice, she had to be escorted by a member of the hotel staff. Of course, she wanted the hotel to compensate her for “pain and suffering”. Naturally, some questions arose.
Me: Why didn’t you go to another motel?
Woman: Well, I had a reservation for three nights.
Me: There are other motels in Odessa. It’s not a small town.
Woman: But I was so scared! I suffered a lot of emotional pain.
Me: You could have gone elsewhere.
Woman: Really? I thought you couldn’t do that if you had a reservation.