If a loved one died because of unsafe conditions at an Airbnb or Vrbo, your family may be able to pursue a wrongful death claim against the host or property owner. Compensation in these cases can include funeral costs, lost financial support, and loss of companionship.
Key terms
- Premises liability
- The legal rule that a property owner or host must keep guests reasonably safe from hazards they know about, or should know about.
- Statute of limitations
- The deadline for filing a claim. It varies by state and can run out before you realize you have a claim, so do not wait to ask.
Injured at a short-term rental? Talk to our team today, free of charge.
If you lost a loved one at an Airbnb or Vrbo, we are so sorry for your loss, and we are here to help your family find answers. When a death is caused by an unsafe rental, surviving family members may be able to bring a wrongful death claim. There is no pressure and no cost to talk with us. A case review is free.
Nothing can replace the person you lost. What a claim can do is hold the responsible parties accountable, ease the financial weight your family now carries, and help you understand what happened.
We are here for your family, whenever you are ready.
Call 833-236-8253 for a free conversation, available 24/7.
Start a Free Case Review →
What Is a Wrongful Death Claim?
A wrongful death claim is a civil case brought by surviving family members when someone dies because of another party's negligence or wrongdoing. In the context of a short-term rental, it means a host, property owner, or platform failed to keep the property reasonably safe, and a guest died as a result.
It is separate from any criminal case and separate from any investigation. Its purpose is to recognize your family's loss and to seek accountability and support for those left behind.
Who Can File a Wrongful Death Claim?
The rules differ by state, but a wrongful death claim is usually brought by close family members or the person's estate. That often includes:
- A spouse
- Children
- Parents
- In some states, other close family or a personal representative of the estate
If you are unsure whether you are able to file, a free review can answer that for you. We will walk you through it gently.
You don't have to carry the legal side alone.
Call 833-236-8253 or request a free review when you're ready.
Causes of Fatal Injuries at Vacation Rentals
Many short-term rental deaths trace back to a hazard that should have been fixed or disclosed. We help families after deaths caused by:
- Carbon monoxide poisoning, from missing or broken detectors, faulty heaters, or generators. See our carbon monoxide page.
- Drowning, in pools and hot tubs with no barriers, no warnings, or dangerous drains. See our pool and hot tub page.
- Fires and smoke inhalation, from missing smoke alarms, blocked exits, or faulty wiring. See our fires and burns page.
- Fatal falls, from balconies, decks, stairs, or unsafe railings. See our slips and falls and balcony, deck, and stair collapse pages.
- Violence and assault, when negligent security allowed a fatal attack or shooting. See our negligent security page.
Whatever the cause, the question is the same: did someone fail in their duty to keep the rental safe, and did that failure lead to your loved one's death?
Who May Be Responsible
Who answers for a death depends on what caused it. A faulty heater and a missing carbon monoxide detector point to the host and owner who let the rental stay unsafe; a defective alarm or generator can point to the company that made it; a fatal attack can point to whoever ignored a known security risk. Part of our work is following the specific cause back to the people who could have prevented it: the host, the property owner, a property manager, a product maker, and in some cases Airbnb or Vrbo.
We do this carefully and thoroughly: reviewing the property, the listing, the maintenance history, and what the host knew before your loved one ever arrived. Our who is liable page explains how each party can fit in, and a free review is how we begin to find the answers your family deserves.
What a Wrongful Death Claim May Cover
Every case is different, and no claim can measure a life. Most states set out the losses a wrongful death claim may recognize. Depending on the law where it happened, compensation may help your family with:
- Medical bills your loved one incurred before they passed
- Funeral and burial expenses
- The financial support they provided, income, benefits, and services your family relied on
- The loss of their love, care, guidance, and companionship
- In some states, the conscious pain and suffering your loved one endured before death
Who may bring these claims and which losses are covered varies by state, and there are filing deadlines. We will explain how it works for your situation. There is no charge for that conversation.
We work on a no fee unless we win basis. There is never a cost to speak with us, and we move at a pace that respects your family.
Taking the First Step, Gently
You do not need to have everything figured out to reach out. When you feel able, it helps to:
- Keep any records, the listing, messages, photos, and reports.
- Save official documents like police, fire, or medical reports.
- Write down what you know about what happened, when it feels right.
- Avoid signing anything from the platform or an insurer first.
- Call us whenever you are ready, day or night.
We will handle the legal questions and dealing with the platforms so your family can focus on each other.
When you're ready, we're here, with patience and with care.
Call 833-236-8253 for a free case review, 24/7.
Start a Free Case Review →
Related Pages
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a wrongful death claim separate from a criminal case or investigation?
Yes. A wrongful death claim is a civil case, separate from any criminal case or official investigation. It is usually brought by close family or a representative of the estate, and who may file varies by state. A family does not have to wait for an investigation to finish before asking questions. Civil deadlines run separately, vary by state, and are often measured in a small number of years, so asking early helps.
What records should our family keep after a death at a rental?
Keep anything connected to the stay: the listing, booking confirmations, messages with the host or platform, photos, and any police, fire, or medical reports. It also helps to write down what you know about what happened, when it feels right. There is no need to organize everything perfectly. Whatever your family has kept can be a starting point, and we can help gather the rest.
What if we do not know what caused our loved one's death?
You do not need answers before reaching out. Part of a wrongful death investigation is following the cause back to the people who could have prevented it, by reviewing the property, the listing, maintenance history, and official reports. Deaths at rentals often trace to hazards like carbon monoxide, unsafe pools, fires, falls, or violence. Understanding what happened is one of the things a claim can help a family do.
Can you sue Airbnb or Vrbo after a wrongful death at a rental?
Yes, if a loved one died because of unsafe conditions at an Airbnb or Vrbo, your family may be able to pursue a wrongful death claim against the host or property owner. Compensation in these cases can include funeral costs, lost financial support, and loss of companionship. Our team can help your family understand the options available.
Does this apply if our loved one died at a Vrbo?
Yes. Everything on this page applies to a death at a Vrbo or any other short-term rental, not just an Airbnb. Your claim rests on the duty the host and property owner owe to keep the property reasonably safe, and that duty does not change with the booking platform. What changes is the paperwork: report what happened to Vrbo in writing through the app, save your reservation and every message, and let us review the listing and Vrbo's published policies as part of your free case review.