La Quinta Inns, Inc. v. Leech

After his daughter confronted him about an affair, hotel resident John Leech rented a new, higher-floor room, told the front desk not to give out his room number, and later told his son James by phone he wouldn't be there to explain himself before hanging up; when James urgently asked front-desk clerk Cotton (defendant) to call for help or give the room number, Cotton delayed roughly 14 minutes before calling 911, and John jumped to his death before help arrived at the correct room. John's estate (plaintiffs) sued La Quinta Inn and Cotton (defendants) for negligence, and the trial court denied their summary judgment motion.