Key Takeaways

  • A US federal court dismissed attorney David Bright’s lawsuit over a fall at a Kerry, Ireland Airbnb rental
  • Bright had alleged a detached retina and a concussion from a stairway fall while on holiday
  • The docket does not show whether Bright intends to refile the claim in an Irish court

A New York attorney’s bid to sue an Irish short-term rental host in a US courtroom just reportedly collapsed, along with claims of a detached retina and a concussion.

Attorney David Bright brought the case in the Eastern District of New York, alleging he suffered significant injuries after a fall from a staircase at a rental property while on a trip in County Kerry, Ireland.

A US court has now reportedly thrown the suit out entirely.

Court filings reviewed through the federal docketing system confirm the case, captioned Bright v. Airbnb, Inc., was lodged in June 2025 in the Eastern District of New York, according to the Irish Independent. Bright named Airbnb among the defendants over the incident at the Kerry property.

The dismissal lands as US litigants increasingly test whether American courts will hear personal injury claims tied to overseas short-term rentals booked through platforms like Airbnb.

Why jurisdiction sank the Kerry claim

Cases built around foreign accommodation injuries routinely run into the same wall – a US court asked to adjudicate an accident that happened on foreign soil, against a host with no meaningful US presence. That jurisdictional gap has proven fatal to similar suits, and this one was no exception.

The outcome echoes a pattern playing out in disputes between Airbnb and local authorities and hosts over where liability actually attaches.

Related: Actress Anna Faris’ short-term rental nightmare renews scrutiny of host safety responsibilities

International hosts operating through booking platforms have watched jurisdictional rulings like this one closely, since a contrary result could have opened the door to US guests suing foreign property owners far from where the alleged injury occurred.

The docket does not indicate whether Bright plans to refile the claim in an Irish court, where the underlying fall and the property itself are located.

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