Were You Injured in a Slip, Trip and Fall Accident at a McDonald’s Restaurant?
Call 1-800-ATTORNEY.
Slip and fall accidents due to the negligence of a business are unfortunately common, and fast food giant McDonald’s has its fair share as well.
Many people don’t understand how or why the property owner might be liable for a slip and fall accident. The truth is that they are not always responsible, but when they fail to follow basic premises liability regulations, they open themselves up to a negligence lawsuit.
The severity of the injury sustained will determine the value of your case, as well as what legal options may be available to you. To discuss your slip and fall accident with a lawyer (for free) right now, call us at 1-800-ATTORNEY.
Notable Lawsuits Against McDonald’s for Slip and Fall Accidents
In November of 2007, a woman slipped and fell on a wet floor in a McDonald’s restaurant in Hawaii. As a result of the fall, the 59-year-old woman crushed a vertebrae in her lower back which required two surgeries to treat. She still has chronic pain and must remain in a wheelchair most of the time. The victim filed suit against McDonald’s and was eventually awarded $5.67 million dollars; $2.67M for past and future medical expenses, and $3M for suffering and decreased quality of life.
On April 23, 2012, a patron of McDonald’s in Mercer County, West Virginia slipped and fell on a wet floor at the McDonald’s in Princeton. The woman suffered serious injuries in the fall and alleges that McDonald’s failed to warn customers of hidden dangers and is therefore guilty of negligence. Her attorney filed a lawsuit against McDonald’s in December of 2014, seeking unspecified damages.
In Madison County, Illinois, a woman and her husband filed a lawsuit on August 5th after a slip and fall accident at a McDonald’s in Highland, IL caused by water on the floor. The accident has caused permanent injuries and rendered the woman unable to continue working, caused her a great deal of pain and suffering, and has resulted in extensive fees for medical care. The plaintiffs allege that McDonald’s failed to inspect the floor in the area where patrons would walk. The victims is seeking more than $50,000 plus costs and other relief for her injuries.
In another case of a wet floor at McDonald’s, a man in Cook County, Illinois filed a lawsuit as the result of an accident on October 26, 2011 that caused serious injuries. The lawsuit states that the plaintiff fell on a wet floor at a McDonald’s in Chicago due to the defendant’s failure to exercise reasonable care. The plaintiff alleges that the management failed to remove the unsafe condition and did not warn the customers about the wet floor – which they are required to do.
Premises Liability Law
Premises liability is a legal concept that holds property owners responsible for injuries patrons suffer as the result of defective or unsafe conditions on the property. Just like personal injury cases, the majority of premises liability cases are the result of negligence on the part of the property owner or manager. When there is a premises liability case, the injured party must be able to prove there was negligence on the part of the owner or manager of the property. You and your attorney must prove that the responsible party neglected to use “reasonable care” in order to protect visitors from injuries.
Customers to a store are given the visitor status of “invitee” (as opposed to “licensee” or “trespasser”). Invitees are owed the highest duty of care since the business is benefiting from a customer being on the property. Property owners are required (by law) to provide a safe environment, inspect the premises for hidden dangers, and warn customers of hazardous conditions that cannot be fixed (like a wet floor). The company also assumes a “duty to rescue” those who become injured on their property.
Do not assume that slip and fall cases are easy to win. They can be challenging. As the injured party, you and your lawyer must be able to show that a premises issue was the proximate cause of your injuries, and that the responsible person failed to take the necessary steps to correct the situation.
The most common types of premises liability involve slip and fall accidents. Some of the more common situations that can lead to these types of accidents include:
Slip, Trip and Fall Accidents at McDonald’s
- Staircases in disrepair
- Ice or snow that have not been cleared
- Wet floors
- Oily floors
- Hidden extension cords
- Carpets or rugs that have not been secured
- Floors, sidewalks, steps, or stairs that are loose, broken, uneven, or otherwise in need of repair
If you have suffered an injury as the result of a slip and fall accident at McDonald’s (or at any business), our experienced personal injury lawyers can help you determine the proper course of action. Call us anytime at 1-800-ATTORNEY, or fill out the email form on this page to schedule your free consultation.