Eating at a restaurant is supposed to be a pleasant experience, but that can quickly change if you slip and fall. These establishments can have a great deal of foot traffic when compared to other public places. Oftentimes, the servers are moving quickly between the kitchens and their tables. Besides that, restaurant aisles and walkways are typically narrow because of all the tables and chairs. Also, with the likelihood of food and drinks getting spilled on the floor, you can easily become injured in a slip and fall accident.
If you slip and fall at a restaurant, you may be shocked by what just happened. Serious injuries can require emergency medical attention, so a call to 911 may be warranted. With a serious injury, it is best to remain still until medical assistance arrives. Even if someone wants to help you get up, let them know that you prefer to wait for professional help.
Less serious injuries can still require medical treatment, even if there are no obvious symptoms. Visiting an emergency room, urgent care, or physician is always a good idea after a slip and fall, as it is best to err on the side of caution. Waiting can lead to health problems because it can be harder to treat the injuries too long after the fact. If you do end up pursuing a lawsuit, you will want to have proof that you sought treatment right away.
When people fall at restaurants, a manager or owner will usually come over to the accident scene to assess what happened. You can explain the circumstances, including what might have caused the slip and fall accident, but do not elaborate on your injuries or what you were doing when you fell. Your actions may be misconstrued as negligent.
Can the Restaurant be Held Liable for My Injuries?
Restaurant owners can be held liable for patron injuries in some cases, but every situation is different. They have to follow municipal, county, and state health regulations, and if those are violated, the business can be fined. Those fines are paid to the government, not customers, but there is the option of pursuing compensation directly from a liable restaurant or their insurance provider. Successful plaintiffs who work with experienced lawyer may be able to receive compensation for medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and out-of-pocket expenses, like transportation to physical therapy appointments.
Restaurant owners also owe a duty of care to patrons, which makes them responsible if a customer is injured in a slip and fall accident because of negligence. Property owners have to do everything that is reasonably possible to keep their patrons from getting hurt while on their premises. This duty pertains to following government regulations and concern for events that could foreseeably injure their customers. Restaurant slip and fall suits determine whether or not the owners breached this duty of care. If this is proven, the owner could be found to have been negligent, making them responsible for the injuries.
Proving fault is not always easy. Restaurant owners want to protect their interests. You would need to show that the owner or staff member should have foreseen the hazard that caused your slip and fall injury. This could be something like a sink that was leaking for days with puddles in the bathroom, or a chair that had been broken for weeks that was left at a dining table.
If it can be proven that the owner was negligent because they did not correct or prevent the hazard, you may have a case. Sometimes, it can be shown that the owner was aware of a situation because another customer informed them about it before the accident.
How Do I Build a Strong Case Against a Restaurant Owner?
In order to prove that a restaurant was negligent, you can work with a lawyer to gather evidence for your case. This evidence needs to assert that the owner was liable and that their negligence directly caused your injury. It must be proven that the accident was foreseeable. In addition, the evidence has to show that the negligence directly caused your injury and verified damages. In short, the restaurant has to be clearly linked your injuries.
The evidence gathering phase is key to slip and fall cases. Right after the accident, it is helpful to see if there are any witnesses who saw what happened. It is also a good idea to use your cellphone to take pictures and video of what happened if it is possible.
Keeping accurate records of all the medical bills and receipts for out-of-pocket expenses can be beneficial as well. Also, be sure to write down as much as you can remember about the slip and fall as soon as possible before the details get harder to recall.
Our Lawyers at the Law Office of David S. Rochman can Help You if You Suffered an Injury at a Restaurant
Restaurant owners owe a duty of care to customers. Sometimes, customers get injured because of the negligent actions of the restaurant owner. If you need legal guidance because you were injured in a slip and fall at a restaurant, speak with our Mount Laurel slip and fall lawyers at the Law Office of David S. Rochman. To schedule a free consultation, call us at 856-751-2345 or complete our online form today. Located in Mount Laurel, New Jersey, we serve clients throughout the surrounding areas.