The Risks of Personal Injury in a Restaurant

Everyone has stopped at a restaurant at some point to grab a quick bite to eat or enjoy a nice family dinner out.

Whatever the case, you were probably not thinking about the risk of being injured while enjoying your meal. Yet accidents do happen in the most unexpected of places. If you or someone in your family has been injured in a restaurant, you may be eligible to receive compensation for those injuries. Business establishments have a duty to protect their patrons and could be found negligent if they failed to do so.  Ask a Missouri personal injury attorney if your accident meets that criteria.

Public Safety as a Priority

The staff and owner of a restaurant are obligated to keep the public safe from harm while they are on their premises. Starting from the parking, all the way to the table, and anywhere in between. There many potential risks in a restaurant environment, from items dropped on the floor, to a server spilling a hot beverage in your lap.

Safety in the Parking Lot

A parking lot should always be well maintained and well lit to avoid a fall. Any potholes or ice patches should be fixed or at the least cordoned off as soon as the restaurant is made aware of the hazard. There is also a duty for them to provide security from crime, whether it be with proper lighting or security.

Inside the Restaurant

The inside of a restaurant is teeming with possible risks to the patrons. Servers are bustling around with trays of hot food and beverages while customers are being led to tables. Management needs to ensure that there are clear walkways where they may walk without risk of injury.  Even while seated at a table, there is a chance of being hurt, either by being handed a hot plate of food that scorches you or having something spilled on you. You could also be hit in the head by a tray as a server or busboy maneuvers around your table.

Slip and Fall Accidents

Restaurants also strive to keep their establishments clean. Many have systems in place requiring the staff to check the condition of the restrooms and clean them as necessary. An unmarked wet bathroom floor is often the scene of a slip and fall accident with a patron. Much like a Pennsylvania woman who stopped at a popular chain restaurant here in Missouri. Staff members had recently mopped the bathroom floor but had failed to set out a warning sign. Unknowingly, she entered the room and immediately fell to the floor, damaging her knee. The restaurant settled the woman’s claim for $167,000 to help pay for the medical expenses and her decreased capacity to work.

The intent here is not to dissuade you from ever eating in a restaurant again, but to make you aware of all the possibilities of harm so that you can avoid them. Many popular restaurants are owned and operated by billion dollar corporations who have the means to aggressively fight any claims made against them. If you have been injured while dining out, the best way to ensure compensation is to consult Zevan and Davison Law Firm, LLC.  Call us at (314) 588-7200 today for a free consultation.

Photo credit:  Dennis Wong