A Dunkin’ Donuts franchise has agreed to settle a personal injury lawsuit by a customer in Highland Park, New Jersey, allegedly paying the injured party more than half a million dollars.
According to her attorney, Maria Marsala purchased coffee at the store in January, 2012. As she left the lobby to return to her car, she tripped over a metal rebar spike in the parking lot. As a result, she suffered burns from the coffee, as well as back and shoulder injuries. Her lawyer says she required surgery for the back and shoulder injuries. A Dunkin’ Donut spokesperson said that the rebar spike was designed to hold a curb stop in place, but had been dislodged. They did not know how that happened.
Under New Jersey law, property owners, both residential and commercial, have a duty to take reasonable steps to minimize the risk of injury to anyone legally on the property. With commercial property owners, that duty is somewhat stricter, as they are considered to invite customers on to the premises for a profit. The duty imposed generally requires that a business owner take reasonable steps to discover any perceived safety risks, and that any risks that are or should be discovered must be remedied, or visitors must be adequately warned of the inherent dangers.
Contact the New Jersey Slip, Trip and Fall Lawyers at the Law Offices of Harold J. Gerr
At the Law Offices of Harold J. Gerr, we have protected the rights of injured people in central New Jersey for more than four decades. We carefully choose the cases we handle, so that we can provide the highest levels of service and personal attention to each client. We are also happy to take over your case, if your first lawyer does not seem to have your best interests in mind.
To set us a free initial consultation, send us an e-mail or call our office at 732-537-8570.
The Law Offices of Harold J. Gerr is a New Jersey personal injury firm located in Highland Park, New Jersey serving the communities of New Brunswick, Edison, Somerset, South River, Sayreville, Metuchen, East Brunswick, South Plainfield, Fords, Middlesex, Old Bridge, Iselin, Bound Brook, Perth Amboy and Colonia, New Jersey.
