A syringe and a needle are two different things. I am assuming that he stepped on a syringe that had a hypodermic needle attached to it. It's hard to imagine how a maid didn't see that laying on the floor, and it's also hard to imagine how he didn't see it either, but I guess if the room had a deep pile carpet it could happen. That being said, I googled Seattle personal injury lawyers and came up with pages and pages of them. The lawyer should also attempt to find out the previous occupant of the room. Whomever left the syringe on the floor is negligent also.

This tort guide might help clarify the terms.
 

Frequently Asked Questions FAQ - Torts

I hope your friend will look at this frequently asked questions on torts.

From the OP:
I took this to mean the type of needle that is used with a syringe as opposed to a sewing needle or some other type of needle.

The one open question is whether the individual secured the syringe and is the single most important issue here. I was an insurance guy but in this situation I would advise this individual to employ the services of an attorney because of the distance between Washington and Pennsylvania, and because the legal department of this hotel may well play hard ball. The syringe may have been used by a person who is diabetic or a drug user? The user may have been a guest or an employee of the hotel. The liability issue doesn't set well for the hotel and the injury was caused by the negligence of the user of the syringe and the hotel's failure . the injury in this case could be disease and/or the psychological implications of potential disease as well as any physical injury