Restaurant Slip and Fall Accidents Costly for Business
A recent Market Watch report details the results of a study conducted by Cintas Corporation in Cincinnati. The study was conducted to determine the costs of slip and fall accidents to the restaurant industry. The findings of this study indicate that this type of accident costs more than the money paid out in litigation.
It found that one in three adults over the age of 18 in the United States “would be unlikely to dine out at a restaurant at which they knew someone had recently experienced a slip and fall accident”. The report recommendations included a “safe floor” program for all restaurants in order to minimize the costs.
In fact, restaurant slip and fall accidents are not rare. According to the National Floor Safety Institute, over three million food service workers and one million guests are injured in this type of accident each year. The annual overall costs to the food service industry are estimated at over $2 billion, and slip and fall accidents are on the increase, growing at the rate of about 10 percent.
Just last month plaintiff Ellen Hofmann-Hayne filed a lawsuit on March 28, 2012 following a slip and fall accident at the Spring Creek Barbeque on Highway 6 in Katy, Texas. The suit was filed in Harris County District Court. Hoffmann-Hayne is blaming the barbeque owners of negligence, claiming that condensation from a defective air conditioner in the building collected on the floor, making it slippery.
She alleges that on July 25, 2011, she was walking across the dining room floor in the restaurant when she encountered the slippery, wet patch and fell.Hoffman-Hayne says she suffered injuries to her left tibia and her left knee. She is seeking damages and court costs.
Bottom line: increased efforts of business owners to make sure they have done everything possible to eliminate hazards can help to ensure safety for their patrons.
Since graduating magna cum laude in 2005 from the University of Memphis School of Law, Thomas has helped make a difference in the lives of victims of serious personal injury, wrongful death, and professional negligence. Thomas has extensive trial experience in both state and federal court. Among other victories in the courtroom, Thomas obtained several impressive jury verdicts and settlements
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