Fast Food and Personal Injury

We know that fast food outlets are an American staple. Take a drive down any major highway and you'll see a sign or advert for some fast food chain or other. While these outlets offer tasty meals for the budget-conscious, they're also the subject of many personal injury lawsuits.

Fast Food and Lawsuits

Chances are you read that paragraph and thought about the McDonalds' hot coffee case. What you may not realize is that fast food restaurants have been the subject of lawsuits for other reasons. The floors are often made of tile, for example, which creates slipping hazards to customers. Recently a women and her family visited a hamburger restaurant for a meal. As the woman was walking back from the restroom, she slipped and fell on grease on the floor. The result was a back sprain along with a contusion to her left elbow. Despite physical therapy, the woman developed persistent and severe elbow pain. Later, she was diagnosed with a complex regional pain syndrome. This means she suffered electric-shock-like pain, burning and swelling in her arm. Her medical expenses totaled around $36,000 and future bills were estimated to climb to $359,400. Although she attempted to return to work, she couldn't remain on a reduced schedule and had to go on temporary disability due to her personal injury. She lost earnings in the region of $94,600 and future loss was predicted to be $1.71 million.

The Lawsuit

The woman sued the outlet, stating that grease on the floor was a hazardous condition and that the workers were aware of such hazards but failed to clean the grease or warn customers. The complainant was prepared to show surveillance video that was recorded just before she fell, showing two employees trying to clean the floor with a squeegee. She alleged that none of the grease was removed. The parties settled out of court for $1.5 million.

This Is Common

Personal injury incidents like this are common. Slips and falls in fast food restaurants barely make the news, but they're frequent. Grease used for cooking often ends up on employee's shoes and is tracked into the customer area. What's more, customers are always walking in and out, carrying food, beverages and condiments, creating a multitude of opportunities for falls and slips on hard floors. People also sometimes track water out of restrooms and onto floors via their shoes, or rainwater is tracked in from outside onto tiles. All of these add to dangers for the unwary. A fall can result in a broken hip, or as was the woman's case, an elbow injury and worse.

Do You Need Legal Representation?

Don't let another person's carelessness lead to your personal injury. If you or a loved one has been injured in a fall because of another person's negligence, contact a lawyer at Clore Law to discuss your case and any claims you may be entitled to. Call the firm at 843-722-8070.