Hotel sued after valet allegedly parked car in unsafe area facilitating theft of $77K in medical supplies

GRETNA – A medical supply salesman is suing a local hotel he claims parked his car in an unsafe neighborhood and over $77,000 worth of medical supplies were stolen from it as a result.

Matthew Buckle filed suit against The New Orleans Hotel Collection LLC, Bourbon Orleans Hotel Ltd. and Interstate Hotels & Resorts Inc. in the 24th Judicial District Court on Sept. 2.

Buckle claims that on Jan. 3, 2011 he arrived as a guest at the Bourbon Orleans Hotel and a parking attendant greeted him and took his keys to park his truck.  The plaintiff alleges that he knowingly left a sample package containing orthopedic hardware on the front seat of his truck in plain view thinking that the parking attendant would park the vehicle in a secure place. However, Buckle contends that his truck was parked over a mile away at 15356 Canal Street in New Orleans – an area known for having a high rate of burglaries. Subsequently, the plaintiff asserts his truck was broken into and the case containing the orthopedic hardware – worth $77,485 – was stolen and has not been recovered.

Buckle alleges that the incident occurred in part because hotel staff parked the vehicle a great distance from the hotel and did not properly supervise it.

The defendant is accused of gross and unreasonable negligence.

Damages in the amount of $77,485 is sought for the loss of the orthopedic equipment, $182.75 for repairing the broken window and $259.38 for other repairs as well as loss of use of the truck.

Buckle is represented by attorney James M. Wilkerson of West Monroe.

The case has been assigned to Division K Judge Ellen Shirer Kovach.

Case no. 741-953.