While many people will go out to eat at restaurants without any incident, slip, fall, and trip accidents are common in restaurants. If you suffer injuries in one of these accidents, you could need expensive medical treatments and be off work for extended periods of time without any pay while you are too injured to work. It can be a struggle to pay your monthly expenses as well as your mounting medical bills. However, with the help of an experienced personal injury attorney, you may be able to hold the property or business owner accountable for compensating you for your injuries.
Causes of Slip and Fall Accidents at Restaurants
There are many potentially hazardous conditions at restaurants that can result in guests or employees suffering injuries when they slip, fall, or trip. Common causes of these accidents include:
- Spills of food and drink that are not cleaned up
- Debris strewn on the floor
- Inadequate lighting which can prevent guests from seeing other slip and fall dangers
- Exposed electrical cords
- Torn or worn carpet or cracks or holes in other flooring
- Unmarked changes in floor elevation
- Wet bathroom floors
- Uneven sidewalks
- Cracks and potholes in parking lots
- Ice and water both outside and in entranceways
- Poorly placed furniture that is difficult to navigate around
Is the Restaurant Always Responsible When Guests Fall?
Just because you slipped and fell at a restaurant does not mean that the restaurant owner must compensate you for your injuries. You must prove that the business owner’s negligence was the cause of your fall and your injuries. The restaurant has a duty to you as a guest to keep the property in a well-maintained condition and to make needed repairs promptly. When a hazardous condition cannot be taken care of immediately, the business should put up a warning sign.
You must establish that the restaurant knew or should have known about the dangerous condition that caused your fall. Factors that will determine the owner’s responsibility include:
- The cause of your fall
- The location where you fell
- What you were doing at the time of your accident
- Whether the owner knew or should have known about the problem that caused you to fall
Importance of an Experienced Personal Injury Attorney for Your Restaurant Accident Claim
It can be challenging to prove that the owner knew or should have known about the cause of your slip, trip, or fall. However, an experienced personal injury attorney will know the documents and other evidence that will be needed to prove your case. If you were injured in a slip and fall at a restaurant or in another premises liability accident, call our office today to schedule a free consultation. We will explain the steps we can help you take to file your claim and to fight for the compensation you deserve.
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