Restaurant Liability Accidents

Americans love to eat out at restaurants. In fact, recent statistics show that Americans eat out an average of 5.9 times per week! The restaurant business is big business, costing patrons an average of $36.40 per person at a restaurant. Restaurant owners, managers, and employees have a responsibility to ensure the safety of all their guests. This means that they are held to a higher standard of care and must take extra caution to avoid hazards that could cause injury. When they fail to do this, restaurant liability accidents can occur, and when they result in injury, the restaurants can be held accountable for those injuries.

When a Restaurant is Negligent

A restaurant can be negligent in many ways. After all, when dining out, it’s not just slip and fall accidents that can cause injuries. Restaurant patrons can be hurt in numerous ways. Some of the ways a restaurant could be liable for your accident and injuries include:

• Unsafe or poorly lit parking lots
• Defective bar stools or tables
• Not mopping up spills or slippery floors properly
• Failure to remove water, snow or ice from parking lot or from entry ways of the restaurant
• Negligent security
• Food poisoning due to unsafe food preparation
• Unsafe food storage
• Assault or battery by an employee
• Continuing to serve intoxicated guests – dram shop liability
• Inadequate labeling of  ingredients for people with allergies
• Cross contamination of food allergens

As you can see, there are numerous ways a restaurant could be liable for your injuries. However, it is important to know that not all injuries are the result of negligence. In order to win a premises liability case, your attorney must clearly establish the following:

• The restaurant owed you a duty of care
• The restaurant failed in that duty of care by ignoring a known hazard or failed to foresee the potential for danger
• Their negligence caused you injury or harm

For example, if you failed to notice a wet floor sign in the bathroom and fell, the restaurant owner would not be responsible for your injuries since caution was taken to warn you of the dangers. If, however, the restaurant owner failed to put floor mats by the entrance and you slipped on water that had accumulated there, then you may have cause to file a claim.

Contact our Premises Liability Lawyers

Premises liability accidents are difficult and complicated and require the services of an experienced  premises liability lawyer. If you or someone you love has been injured in a restaurant in Arvada, Northglenn, Thornton, or anywhere in Northern Colorado, it is important to contact our experienced attorneys immediately. At Hull & Zimmerman, P.C., our lawyers are dedicated to the belief that everyone deserves justice. Contact us at (303) 423-1770 or (866) 385-3505.

Our Colorado lawyers have extensive experience representing injured accident victims in Broomfield, Arvada, Superior, Lafayette, Louisville, Erie, Brighton, Commerce City, Northglenn, Westminster, Thornton, Longmont, and throughout Colorado.