You could be entitled to significant compensation if you were injured in a restaurant slip-and-fall accident caused by someone else’s negligence. Examples of negligence include leaving spilled food or beverages on the floor, failing to cordon off freshly mopped areas, and not maintaining leaking pipes. Unfortunately, restaurants and their insurers will do everything possible to avoid paying you the compensation you deserve. An experienced restaurant slip-and-fall lawyer can fight back on your behalf.
At Cardoso Law, PLLC, our Pensacola personal injury lawyers are dedicated to helping injured Floridians get the total and fair compensation they need to rebuild their lives after an accident. Contact us today to schedule your free initial case evaluation with an experienced slip-and-fall lawyer in Pensacola. Let us fight for the accountability and compensation you deserve. You pay nothing unless we win your case.
Slip-and-Fall Accident Statistics
According to the National Floor Safety Institute (NFSI):
- Slip-and-fall accidents result in about one million emergency room visits in the U.S. annually, representing about 12 percent of all fall accidents.
- Unsafe floors and flooring materials contribute to more than two million fall accidents annually.
- One in three people 65 and older will suffer a fall accident at some point. Statistically, half will fall again.
- Slip-and-fall accidents are the leading cause of lost days from work.
Additionally, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports:
- About one in five fall accidents cause a severe injury, such as a bone fracture or concussion.
- More than 800,000 people annually visit hospitals for falls, often to treat head or hip injuries.
- Falls are the most common cause of traumatic brain injuries in the U.S.
What Is Premises Liability?
Slip-and-fall lawsuits are generally based on premises liability law, an area of law that concerns property owners’ responsibility to keep lawful visitors safe from harm. Someone who gets hurt on another person’s property can seek compensation for losses from the owner’s failure to maintain secure premises.
A property owner could contribute to a visitor’s slip-and-fall injury by failing to exercise due care in maintaining their property. The level of care a property owner owes a visitor varies depending on the visitor’s status under the law. Under Florida premises liability law, there are three types of visitors: invitees, licensees, and trespassers.
Property owners owe the highest duty of care to invitees — those who are invited onto a property by the owner or occupier. Florida recognizes two types of invitees: business and public invitees. A business invitee is requested for business purposes like shopping or dining. By contrast, a public invitee is someone with an implicit invitation as a member of the public, such as a visitor to a public park. Property owners owe invitees a duty to regularly maintain and inspect their premises and remedy hazardous conditions.
Property owners owe a slightly lesser duty of care to licensees — those who lawfully visit properties for the convenience or interests of owners, such as social guests. Rather than seeking out and fixing dangerous conditions, as they must do for invitees, property owners only need to warn licensees of known diseases that pose an unreasonable risk of harm to visitors.
Finally, there are trespassers — people who unlawfully enter properties without permission. Property owners don’t owe trespassers any duty of care except to refrain from intentionally injuring them. However, there are exceptions for children. Property owners are responsible for keeping their properties free of “attractive nuisances,” dangerous features (e.g., unattended swimming pools) that can cause harm to unsupervised children.
Florida law also holds business owners responsible for slip-and-falls due to “transitory foreign substances” in business establishments when business owners have actual or constructive knowledge of such hazards and opportunities to remedy them. A slip-and-fall victim could prove constructive knowledge by showing that:
- The risk existed long enough for the business owner to discover it through ordinary diligence.
- The trouble occurred regularly sufficient that the owner should have foreseen it.
What Compensation Can I Recover Through a Slip-and-Fall Accident Lawsuit?
Compensation for slip-and-fall restaurant accidents often includes money for the following losses:
- Past and future medical costs
- Lost income
- Lost earning capacity
- Pain and suffering
- Lost quality of life
The specific figure you could recover through a restaurant injury settlement depends on the unique circumstances of the accident. Contact a lawyer for more information about what you can expect.
What Is the Deadline for Filing My Claim?
Under Florida law, you have two years to file personal injury claims based on negligence, including those that involve restaurant slip-and-fall injuries. Sometimes, the timeline could be even shorter if you wait to sue until after the deadline. You risk losing the right to demand financial recovery from the restaurant owner. Given the importance of complying with these deadlines, you should speak to an attorney from Cardoso Law, PLLC, as soon as possible after a restaurant slip-and-fall.
What Should I Do After a Slip-and-Fall Accident in a Restaurant?
Steps you should take after a slip-and-fall accident in a restaurant include:
- Reporting the accident to the restaurant’s management, requesting copies of any incident reports, and having the restaurant preserve its surveillance camera footage
- Seeking immediate medical attention to have a doctor check and treat you for any injuries
- Following your doctor’s treatment plan and attending all follow-up appointments
- Taking photos of the location of the slip-and-fall and any visible injuries you suffered
- Preserving or taking photos of the clothing and shoes you were wearing when you fell
- Documenting personal expenses and income losses you incur due to your injuries
- Refraining from discussing the accident, your injuries, or your injury claim on social media
- Keeping a journal documenting your recovery and any pain or physical limitations you experience
Finally, you should contact a Pensacola restaurant slip-and-fall lawyer at Cardoso Law, PLLC. Our team can help you understand your legal rights and demand compensation on your behalf from a negligent restaurant owner.
Consult With a Restaurant Slip-and-Fall Lawyer Today
After a slip-and-fall accident, there is no time to waste in demanding fair compensation from a negligent restaurant owner. Contact Cardoso Law, PLLC, today for a free, no-obligation consultation with a skilled Pensacola slip-and-fall accident lawyer. We are ready to stand up to restaurant owners and demand compensation for your medical bills, lost income, pain, suffering, and more.