Alex Chronis, a 76-year-old from Tennessee, died after suffering severe burns from a scalding hot shower at an Econo Lodge in Erlanger, Kentucky. His family was awarded $2 million in a wrongful death lawsuit against the hotel owner, Sanjay Patel.
Chronis, who worked as a food vendor, was in Kentucky for business in November 2021 when he was burned by water that was over 150 degrees Fahrenheit. According to the lawsuit, the extreme heat caused Chronis to collapse in the shower. Two co-workers, alerted by his screams, rescued him from the bathroom.
Despite his injuries, Chronis used nonprescription medication to treat his burns and continued working at a local festival. He eventually went to the emergency room but left against medical advice to return to work. Chronis’s condition worsened, and he was readmitted to the hospital two days later, where he stayed for nearly five months.
During his hospitalization, Chronis underwent multiple surgeries, including skin grafts, and was treated for other complications. In April 2022, he was transferred to a rehabilitation facility in Knoxville but showed no improvement. Chronis was readmitted to the hospital in June, where he died.
The jury found that the hotel owner had “failed to exercise ordinary care in inspecting and maintaining” the hotel room, creating unsafe conditions for guests. The judgment awarded $1.3 million for medical expenses, $250,000 for pain and suffering, $16,000 for funeral costs, and $500,000 in punitive damages.
“The family feels that the jury was able to see the wrongful conduct by the defendant and the resulting horrendous injuries which Alex suffered,” said Jeff Blankenship, the family’s lawyer. “His death was caused by complications from the serious scalding wounds that were so easily preventable had the hotel management simply had a procedure in place for their customer’s safety.”
The ruling highlights the importance of hotel safety standards and the severe consequences of neglect. The verdict is subject to appeal, as noted in court documents.
