Queens Attorney for Injuries that Occur at Restaurants
New York is one of the best places to experience cuisine inspired from all over the world. When visiting a restaurant in Queens or other parts of New York, patrons expect that the condition of the restaurant is safe. However, some restaurants may be negligent when ensuring the safety of customers. If you or a family member was injured at a restaurant, contact an experienced Queens attorney for restaurant injuries.
At Sullivan & Galleshaw, LLP, we are committed to fighting for residents of Queens that suffered an injury due to the negligent actions of others. To schedule a free legal consultation, contact Sullivan & Galleshaw, LLP at (718) 843-0300. You may also contact the firm online.
3 Common Causes of Restaurant Injuries in Queens, NY
No person expects to visit their favorite restaurant only to leave the establishment in an ambulance. Unfortunately, this scenario is highly possible if the staff at a restaurant fail to ensure the safety of patrons visiting the restaurant. The following types of accidents can open a restaurant to a personal injury lawsuit from a customer.
Slip and Fall Accident
A slip and fall accident occurs when a person trips over some safety hazard present on the property of another. At a restaurant, slip and fall accidents often occur when a person spills food or beverage on the floor of the restaurant that results in another person tripping over it.
The operators of a restaurant have a duty to keep the property free of any hazards that can injure a customer. For example, in the above scenario, the staff at a restaurant have a responsibility to clean up a spill despite who caused the spill. Failure to clean up a spill in a reasonable amount of time could open the restaurant to liability.
Spilled food or beverages are not the only common cause of slip and fall accidents at a restaurant. Other causes of slip and falls include:
- Obstructions in the aisles
- Inadequate lighting in the restaurant or outside the restaurant
- Uneven floors or defective stairwells
- Failure to place wet floor signs after mopping or a spill
Unstable Chairs
It is important to have comfortable but also safe seating for customers at a restaurant. However, some restaurants may provide customers with chairs that are unstable or have been heavily used for several years. As a result, a chair could break under a customer’s weight, or an unstable chair could lead to a fall.
If a customer falls from a chair in a restaurant, they could easily suffer serious head or back injuries under various circumstances.
There are other causes of restaurant injuries that are not listed above, especially for individuals that work at a restaurant. To learn more about recovering compensation for a restaurant accident, you should continue reading and speak with an experienced Queens restaurant injury lawyer.
Damages for a Restaurant Accident in Queens
If you were injured due to an accident at a restaurant in Queens, NY, you are likely seeking compensation for your injuries from the operators of the restaurant. To recover damages in a personal injury lawsuit, the plaintiff must show how the defendant acted negligently and breached their duty of care. However, if a plaintiff is partly responsible for a restaurant accident, this could affect their claim for damages.
Pure comparative fault rules apply for personal injury claims based on negligence in New York. The pure comparative fault doctrine states that a plaintiff’s damages will be decreased by their level of fault in a case. Specifically, the trier of fact will examine all the circumstances of the case and determine each party’s level of fault. For example, a defendant may be apportioned 80% of fault while a plaintiff is apportioned 20% of the fault. As a result, the plaintiff’s damages will be reduced by 20%.
Fortunately, New York has not adopted the modified comparative negligence rule like other states. The modified comparative negligence rule bars plaintiffs from recovering if their portion of fault is equal to or greater than that of the defendant’s. Instead, New York allows plaintiffs to recover damages even if a jury decides the plaintiff’s level of fault is 99.9%.
To avoid having your damages reduced, it is important to have sufficient evidence to support your claim and to avoid acting negligently. For example, if you were drunk when a slip and fall occurred, this may harm your case.
Work with Our Queens Restaurant Injury Lawyer to Pursue Your Lawsuit
If you visited a restaurant in Queens and suffered a severe injury, contact a dedicated Queens restaurant injury lawyer. At Sullivan & Galleshaw, LLP, our team of experienced personal injury lawyers are here to help you hold a negligent restaurant accountable for causing your injuries. We are committed to helping you pursue the compensation you deserve. To schedule a free case evaluation, contact Sullivan & Galleshaw, LLP at (718) 843-0300.