25,000 slip and fall accidents occur daily in the US.*
Slips, trips and falls are the second leading cause of injury as reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Anytime you visit a restaurant, there are customers coming and going or in the process of enjoying their meal while the employees are running around to most efficiently get those customers through their meal.
With that, many times things spill or break and can get left on the ground for far too long without signage. Sometimes a customer will cause a spill and not alert an employee. With the busyness of the servers and bussers, the spill can go unnoticed and uncleaned.
If you find yourself in the situation of slipping in an Orlando restaurant causing injury, there are 5 ways to protect yourself in a slip and fall accident in order to obtain retribution and support from that restaurant.
1. Seek medical attention
If you are injured, it’s highly important to seek medical care immediately.
If you are injured, it’s very important to be completely clear with the doctors on what your medical history is and how the fall occurred.
This will give the doctor the ability to give clear direction on fixing the issue as well as thorough documentation. Make sure to get a copy of all these documents in order to make the legal process after the fall a little smoother.
2. Stay on the floor and get up slowly
If you have fallen and caused injury, getting up quickly can worsen the injury.
It is important to remain on the floor for a minute to assess the extent of the injury. Don’t be afraid to ask for help as well.
Getting up after slip and fall accident is a critical time. There are ways to best get up to make sure that you are getting up safely. Either utilizing nearby furniture pieces or the help of a strong employee or fellow customer is the ideal way so as to put minimal strain on any injury that has occurred.
3. Take notice of what caused the fall
Once off the floor, you should note what caused the slip.
Many things can cause a fall in a restaurant — liquid, ill-placed items, or unattentive employees. If the fall was caused by a liquid or things that are left in the walkway, make sure to take notes of placement and any other details.
Be sure to talk with any other customers that may have witnessed the fall and write down their information.
With restaurant managers and corporations, it’s possible that they handle the situation poorly in an effort to move the process along and downplay the issue. That’s why you should make note of all communications that occur around the injury in order to have clear and thorough documentation of all pieces.
4. Take photos before the issue is cleaned up
Photos will help greatly in the legal process.
It’s critical to not allow the employees to clean up the mess or correct the issue before taking photos. If it’s a liquid, take photos of the surrounding area, so that it can be clear whether there was a “wet floor” sign present.
If the fall was caused by items in the walkway, take photos of the walkway, as well as what item caused the fall. If the item moved in the fall, take photos of where the fall occurred and where the item landed.
Finally, if your accident was caused by a collision with an inattentive employee, it’s important to take photos of the area where the the collision occurred, so it’s clear where and how the collision happened.
5. Contact a lawyer
When you are seeking retribution for the injuries incurred from a slip and fall in an Orlando-area restaurant, the restaurant owners will have lawyers that work diligently to discredit the claim.
It’s crucial that you know your rights and work with a trusted, well-versed Orlando slip and fall attorney that can make sure you get the necessary support from the restaurant.
By working with a quality lawyer, you are better able to get the most support through the process of dealing with the injury.
Since 1966, the team at Wooten Kimbrough, P.A. has represented the Orlando community and Central Florida residents — that’s almost half a century. Combined, the team has more than 100 years of courtroom experience handling personal injury cases.
If you or someone you know, needs guidance in their recent restaurant injury, our team of attorneys can be reached at any time.
*National Society Council