Thanks for your concern - I now have a "character" scar on my forehead, but otherwise I am ok. All I originally asked for was to for them to cover my medical copay for the plastic surgeon when I got home (about $50), a new iPod to replace the one that was also broken by the flying piece of equipment, and some compensation for the lovely evening in the Italian ER and having to cut my business trip short one day (I was thinking maybe a few nights at a Sheraton - not in Rome!).

It has become personal to me now, however, given that the hotel GM is lying about both what I and my colleagues said, and the equipment itself. The hotel has closed the case, and Sheraton corporate can "not do anything" because they do not own and operate the property - they are going to get me the phone number of UNK's (the franchisee) customer service to escalate within that organization, and offered a few Starpoints.

At this point I am more upset about the brazen lying of the GM than the scar - it just doesn't seem right to drop it...