The Dangers of Restaurant Slip and Fall Accidents
Although restaurants are places of celebration and relaxation, they also present certain dangers. Restaurants are common places for slip and fall accidents due to the common presence of cooking oils, cleaning liquids, and spilled food and drinks. Additionally, flooring imperfections, ice on sidewalks, and other typical building or environmental hazards may cause dangers to employees and patrons alike.
Employee Slips and Falls
If you are working in a restaurant when conditions cause you to slip, fall, and sustain injury, the good news is that you should not have to fight for compensation. Your expenses should be covered by workers’ compensation. You’ll simply need to tell your doctor that the injury occurred at work and alert your employer as well. While you’ll likely need to complete an accident report for your employer, in workers’ compensation claims, you do not have to prove that it was your employer’s fault. If, for any reason, workers’ compensation does not cover your expenses, contact an attorney immediately.
Customer Slips and Falls
When a customer visits a restaurant, expecting to simply eat a good meal, and instead finds himself or herself injured in a fall, the restaurant may be liable for the medical expenses. This is because of premises liability, which requires that the business quickly mark or fix any dangerous circumstances. However, you must prove that the business was aware of the danger and did not act to place appropriate warnings or to remedy the condition. A spill, for example, should be marked with signs to prevent people from slipping until it can be cleaned up. However, if a customer spilled the food or liquid and has not yet alerted a staff member, then it may be more difficult to collect compensation.
In order to collect compensation for your injuries as a customer, you will first want to seek medical attention. Although your physical safety is the first priority, you will also need some other information in order to ensure that you are able to pursue your personal injury suit. This information can be obtained through:
- reporting the incident to the manager or owner, preferably at the time of the incident. You should receive a copy of the written report so that you can prove that the restaurant knew about your accident when it happened.
- taking pictures of the scene of the accident and collecting witness statements if you are able.
- writing down and dating your own account of the accident.
All of this information will be invaluable to your attorney, who will use these as the beginning building blocks for your case. It may seem simple, but the information you bring to your attorney will make it possible to determine fault and therefore collect compensation.
Reach Out to Us Today for Help
If you’ve been injured as a result of a fall at a restaurant, whether as an employee or a patron, contact the West Palm Beach personal injury attorneys at Pike & Lustig, LLP immediately. We can assist you in proving fault and collecting the compensation you need to get back on your feet.
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