Philadelphia Restaurant Accident Lawyer

Enjoying a meal at a restaurant is a favorite activity for many Philadelphians. A meal out is a fun and leisurely activity that serves as recreation and a practical way to have a bite to eat when you are away from home. However, when a restaurant or bar focuses more on profits than on safety, that is when accidents can occur. Restaurant owners sometimes side with entertainment over safety and when that occurs a host of problems can result in you becoming an injured party.

Your rights as a restaurant or bar patron include the ability to pursue damages for having been injured due to the fault of the restaurant owner or one of their employees. This includes being able to pursue a claim against their insurance company or even pursuing a legal case against the responsible party.

Contact Philadelphia restaurant accident lawyer Anthony C. Gagliano, III, Esquire, P.C. to learn more about your legal rights. We pursue cases and claims on behalf of people injured in Philadelphia area restaurants and bars. Our team of legal professionals can answer your questions in a free-of-charge consultation.

What types of accidents occur at Philadelphia restaurants?

A variety of different accidents occur everyday at Philadelphia-area restaurants. When you are injured in one of these accidents you need to know how to proceed. Many injured parties wait to seek medical care because they are unsure of their rights or what the next best step is. What results is that these people lose out on the ability to better themselves physically and preserve their legal rights in a future case or claim.

Fortunately, by reading through this material presented by Anthony C. Gagliano, III, Esquire, P.C. you can be prepared. Keep in mind- to pursue damages such as lost wages, pain and suffering, and medical expenses you need to learn who the responsible party is. The type of accident you suffer can change who your claim needs to be filed against. Here are a handful of common accidents which regularly occur at Philadelphia restaurants.

Slip (or Trip) and Fall Accidents Can Lead to Severe Injuries

When you set foot in a restaurant or bar, your first thought likely isn’t related to the safety conditions of the establishment. Depending on the type of restaurant, you may be walking into a busy, congested business that is extremely loud. However, just because a restaurant is noisy or crowded does not mean that a restaurant owner is any less a responsible party for maintaining a certain level of safety on premises. That duty of care extends to you even if you are only there to pick up an order of food or beverages.

A wet floor is one of the most commonly encountered hazards in a busy bar or restaurant. When a member of the waitstaff or restaurant patron spills a drink that should be cause for concern on the part of a restaurant owner. A restaurant owner can quickly become a responsible party to your injuries if precautions are not taken. Being able to ensure that the inside and outside of their restaurant is clear of wet flooring helps to minimize the risk of slip and fall accidents.

Restaurant and bar employees should be trained to identify and report potential sources of slip or trip and fall accidents during the workday. Completely preventing spilled beverages may not be possible but minimizing their risk to you as a restaurant or bar patron is the duty of a restaurant owner. Failing to clean up a wet floor in a timely manner can directly lead to your becoming injured.

Broken Glass and Other Hazards in Restaurants

Just as spilled beverages occur with regularity at Philadelphia restaurants, so do broken glasses, plates and other objects. With waitstaff, kitchen helpers, chefs and cooks all handling dishes and glasses it is not difficult to imagine a broken dish causing someone serious injuries. We can all remember a time or two when we were in a restaurant and heard a glass or dinner-plate shatter against the ground. When that dinner-plate or glass is not cleaned up quickly it can lead to injuries being sustained.

A restaurant owner’s employees are his or her first line of defense against injuries. Just as with slip and fall accidents, when an employee observed a broken glass or piece of dishware on the ground that means the item needs to be cleaned up immediately. The cleanliness and safety of the restaurant depends upon these employees. Dimmed lighting or broken glass in out of the way locations can both contribute to causing injuries.

When Finding an Object in Your Food Can Lead to an Injury

Ensuring that your food is safe to consume is a responsibility of the restaurant owner, kitchen staff and your server. Ultimately, your server is the “last line of defense” between you and any undercooked or improperly prepared meal. When you pay money for a meal at a restaurant there is an expectation that the meal will be prepared correctly. The failure of a restaurant to produce food that is safe for eating can lead to severe injuries for you.

What does it mean to sue a Philadelphia restaurant owner for injuries you suffered?

Typically, you as the injured party would sue the restaurant owner as the responsible party to a restaurant-related accident. The specific legal theory you base your lawsuit on is likely going to be negligence. As in- the restaurant, the restaurant owner, restaurant employee or responsible third party has caused you to suffer an injury due to their failure to act in a careful manner. To collect damages from the responsible party you must prove fault. However, you must first show that the person or entity owed you a duty of care.

Business owners owe a duty of care to patrons but oftentimes to others, as well. Even if you were simply using the bathroom at a restaurant or were there performing work that restaurant owner owes you a duty of care. Typically, restaurant or bar patrons who are there to purchase food or beverage are owed a basic level of care in addition to their duties. Additional duties owed to you by a restaurant owner may include the duty to repair dangers on their property, the duty to provide sufficient lighting, and the duty to not over serve a fellow-patron alcoholic beverages.

If you have been injured due to the negligent acts of a responsible party, then please contact Anthony C. Gagliano, III, Esquire, P.C. Filing a lawsuit against a restaurant or restaurant owner takes careful planning. Determining fault, creating a legal strategy and then navigating the legal process takes experience. Our office has served many Philadelphians who have been injured in restaurant accidents and we are prepared to do the same for you.

What type of damages can you recover in a restaurant accident?

Damages are typically measured in terms of dollars and earned in relation to the injuries or other harms suffered in a restaurant accident. Medical expenses may have been necessary in your situation. These expenses could have been for emergency care received immediately after suffering an injury. Or, you may require ongoing physical or occupational therapy to help you regain full-functionality of an injured body part.

Lost wages represent a commonly asked for type of damages in a restaurant accident case. Unfortunately, as a result of being injured, you may have had to miss work or even change career paths. For example, consider how difficult it would be to continue working as a delivery driver if you became unable to walk and carry heavy objects due to a back injury suffered in a restaurant accident.

Contact a Philadelphia Restaurant Accident Lawyer to Move Forward With a Legal Case

Being the victim of a restaurant accident is a serious matter. Suffering a severe injury due to a slip and fall or because food was improperly cooked means that you could incur expensive medical bills or even miss work for an extended period of time. In short, the injuries and damages which can be suffered in a restaurant accident are significant. As an injured person, you need a strong, disciplined advocate to stand by your side and fight for your rights.

Philadelphia restaurant accident lawyer Anthony C. Gagliano, III, Esquire, P.C. knows how to help you at whatever stage of a case you are in. We can provide you with guidance whether you are still seeking medical care, are ready to negotiate with a responsible party or are moving towards a trial. Our team of legal professionals help fight for what you deserve. Compensation for your injuries, damages for lost wages and pain and suffering are only a few of the potential sources for damages you should consider.

A free of charge consultation is yours simply by contacting your office. Anthony C. Gagliano, III, Esquire, P.C. demands that your injuries, hardships and damages be considered properly by restaurant owners and other responsible parties.