How Can I Bolster My Restaurant Slip and Fall Claim?
Going out to eat at a restaurant is usually an enjoyable experience. Unfortunately, accidents can happen, including slip and falls. Restaurants are chaotic. A busy restaurant is a place where guests occupy a small space where food and drinks are being prepared, carried, and dropped.
A restaurant is a place where people have an expectation that proper care is being taken to assure safety. That includes the proper cleaning of floors, keeping up with necessary repairs, and cleaning up spills and wet areas expeditiously. Some restaurant managers or owners, however, may come up short in exercising their duty of care, which is their obligation to provide a safe environment to their guests and employees.
A slip and fall could cause a variety of injuries, including damage to the back, neck, and head. It is important to know what steps you must take to strengthen your claim if you suffer a slip and fall in a restaurant:
- You should document the incident. Take a picture of what made you fall. Find witnesses, and get their contact information. Inform the management, and ask for a copy of any surveillance video if possible. Write an account of the circumstances, and save your receipt of the bill.
- Get immediate medical attention. Some injuries might not manifest immediately, so you should visit your doctor or medical facility. Save your medical bills and receipts, and keep all your doctor appointments. Doctor visits provide an account of your injuries, treatments, medications, and the path toward recovery.
- Contact a lawyer immediately. An experienced lawyer will help you gather evidence, deal with the restaurant and their lawyer, and represent you in court if necessary.
What Are Common Causes of Restaurant Slip and Falls?
A slip and fall can happen for a number of reasons, but among the most common in a restaurant is a spill. Restaurant spills range from drinks to sauces to salad dressings. A wet or greasy floor is dangerous to walk on under any circumstances.
Floors can have many hazards. Torn or buckled carpets, uneven tiles, misplaced electrical cords, improper use of cleaning products, and a lack of floor mats at the entranceway are all common dangers that can cause a slip and fall.
What Makes a Restaurant Liable for a Slip and Fall?
The management or owner of a restaurant has a duty of care to keep everyone safe at all times. This means there must be not only proper maintenance, but also quick and reasonable response. Any potential danger that might arise must be taken care of in a reasonable and efficient manner.
For a restaurant to be held liable, it must be proven that the restaurant owner or manager knew or should have known that a potential danger existed, and the proper steps were not taken to fix the problem in a timely manner. If the restaurant is found liable, a claimant may receive compensation for economic and non-economic damages. Economic damages include medical expenses, lost wages, and other out-of-pocket expenses. Non-economic damages include pain and suffering, emotional distress, and other non-monetary losses.
Highland Park Slip and Fall Lawyers at the Law Offices of Harold J. Gerr Represent Those Injured in Restaurant Slip and Falls
If you have been injured in a restaurant slip and fall, speak with one of our experienced Highland Park slip and fall lawyers at the Law Offices of Harold J. Gerr. Call us at 732-537-8570 or contact us online for a free consultation. Located in Highland Park, New Jersey, we serve clients in New Brunswick, Somerset, Piscataway, Edison, South River, Sayreville, Metuchen, East Brunswick, South Plainfield, Fords, Middlesex, Old Bridge, Iselin, Bound Brook, Perth Amboy, Colonia, Elizabeth, and Newark.
