Slip and Fall Turns Fabulous Experience Into Frightful Scenario
People choose to visit restaurants owned and operated by celebrity chefs to experience a high quality of ambiance and food. For one woman who visited a well-known New York establishment owned by Bobby Flay, however, this scenario turned from fabulous to frightful following a slip-and-fall incident that left her severely injured.
If you have experienced a similar restaurant slip-and-fall accident, you may be able to pursue a personal injury claim with the help of a slip and fall lawyer. Restaurant owners and operators may be held responsible for premises liability accidents — like slip and falls — when negligence occurs.
Mesa Grill Slip-and-Fall Accident
While patronizing the New York restaurant Mesa Grill, located in Union Square, a retired elderly woman fell down as she descended a set of stairs leading to an elevated section of the restaurant’s dining area. The 77-year-old woman, Barbara Sandler, sustained severe injuries and spent two months in a hospital following the restaurant slip-and-fall accident. She was treated for bleeding in the brain and diagnosed with permanent left brain damage. The cause of the fall has not been revealed, but Sandler recently filed suit.
Suing Bobby Flay
Barabara Sandler is suing Mesa Grill’s owner, celebrity chef Bobby Flay, in federal court. She filed a premises liability lawsuit in Manhattan in September, seeking $5 million in damages for the slip-and-fall accident and the related injuries she suffered. Sandler must prove Bobby Flay knew or should have known about a hazardous condition on or around the stairs where she fell. Sandler also has to show that the dangerous condition directly led to her slip and fall.
Restaurant’s Responsibility After a Slip and Fall
Under general premises liability law, restaurant owners have a duty to ensure that the customers’ surroundings are reasonably safe by inspecting them on a regular basis. If the inspections uncover any dangerous conditions, such as problems with stairs or railings, owners must make the necessary repairs or warn customers about the existing hazards.
To prevent slip-and-fall accidents in restaurants, owners must also keep floors and aisles clear of clutter and debris. Failure to perform these duties may place liability on the owners.
Pursuing a Premises Liability Claim
It is difficult to tell exactly where the blame lies without knowing the details of how Barbara Sandler fell. Sandler’s lawsuit could show, however, that Bobby Flay, as Mesa Grill’s owner, acted negligently because his restaurant caused or failed to warn its customers about a dangerous condition on or around a set of stairs. Sandler may be able to recover for the medical expenses related to her injuries, as well as for the pain and suffering she endured after her potentially fabulous restaurant experience turned into a frightful scenario.
If you or your loved one recently slipped and fell in a restaurant and sustained injuries related to the fall, contact a local premises liability attorney after receiving medical attention. Lawyers with experience in litigating premises liability cases can provide sound legal advice immediately following slip-and-fall accidents, and can help you build an injury claim if negligence was involved in your accident.