A trip to a local Texas restaurant might lead to an unexpected and disastrous outcome. A patron might slip and fall and discover they broke a bone or suffered another life-impacting injury. Such injuries come with costs, and the victim might want compensation for those losses. Suing the restaurant may be an option.
Slip-and-fall accidents and liability
Ultimately, a plaintiff’s ability to sue depends on who was negligent for the incident. If the patron entered the restaurant in an intoxicated state and tripped over untied shoes, the restaurant’s manager might not be remotely liable. However, if the owner or employees contributed to the fall, a claim may have validity.
Accidents and spills happen, and a worker might drop a plate of food or glasses of wine. Such a mess could cause someone to slip and fall if the restaurant’s staff does not take action to clean things up timely.
Also, if someone mops the floor and the surface is wet, posting a warning may prevent injuries. Those yellow sandwich boards stating a floor is damp and slippery may have value.
Negligence and slip-and-fall accidents
Any negligent action could leave someone open to a lawsuit. Actions or non-actions that may cause someone an injury may result in a premises liability lawsuit. And the problems could exist inside or outside the restaurant. Someone could get hurt if the restaurant’s parking lot falls into disrepair with cracks and other damage. Not caring for the asphalt seems negligent. Expect a lawsuit or insurance claim to follow the incident.
That said, sometimes the victim deserves some blame for an injury. When a victim contributes to an accident, a resulting award may end up reduced under comparative negligence law.