Fort Lauderdale Restaurant Slip & Fall Lawyer
Going out to eat at a restaurant is a luxury in today’s economy, and no one expects to end up on their back after slipping and falling. Like other businesses, Fort Lauderdale restaurants owe their customers a duty of care, including a duty to reasonably fix hazards. Contact Spencer Morgan Law today to discuss your accident. A Fort Lauderdale restaurant slip & fall lawyer can discuss which steps to take first to obtain compensation.
Liability for a Restaurant Slip and Fall
Restaurants have many hazards which can lead to falls and injuries. The restaurant has an obligation to keep the premises safe and anticipate foreseeable dangers.
Some common reasons for falls include:
- Grease
- Spilled beverages
- Melting ice cubs around an ice dispenser
- Missing floor mats
- Worn carpets or loose tiles
- Rain or wet leaves
- Receipts or scraps of paper
- Leaky pipes
- Air conditioner condensation
A restaurant should address any spill immediately, including those reported by customers. For example, you might have gone to the bathroom and seen water all over the floor. The restaurant cannot delay cleaning it up. They might even need to block off the area if a quick fix isn’t possible. The same is true if a server drops a bowl of soup on the floor. Under Florida law, a property owner is liable for a spilled liquid only if they knew of it or should have known of it. That is, the business needs actual or constructive knowledge. Essentially, constructive knowledge means the transitory substance was on the floor so long that any reasonable business would have eventually discovered it.
Knowledge of a hazard is often in dispute. Contact an attorney. We can search for evidence, including any security camera footage or witnesses who saw the hazard along with you. If you fall, try to get a picture of whatever on the floor caused you to fall. Restaurants often defend by claiming they did all they could do or they were short staffed and couldn’t immediately clean up a spill. If you fell during the dinner rush hour, then this argument has more force than if you slip the first hour they are open.
The restaurant might also allege the victim as careless or knowingly confronted a hazard. For example, you could have been looking at a text message when you walked to the bathroom. That type of comparative negligence could reduce a claim because you were not paying attention to where you were walking. The restaurant’s objective is to reduce the compensation you receive. Spencer Morgan Law is wise to all the defenses Fort Lauderdale businesses raise. We can counter these arguments and minimize your own share of fault.
Call to Speak with Our Lawyers
Spencer Morgan Law reviews the evidence in slip and fall cases carefully. Businesses like restaurants owe a duty of care to their customers, and they should take that duty seriously. They have business liability policies which cover accidents on the premises, including slip and falls. Contact our office to speak with a Fort Lauderdale restaurant slip & fall lawyer.