Who is Liable for Slip & Falls in Fast Food Restaurants?

It can be surprisingly easy to get injured in a fast food restaurant. While employees can be at risk for things like cuts and burn injuries, falls are something that can affect both employees and customers. With so many people coming in and out of the restaurant throughout the day, snow and rain can get tracked inside and make floors slippery. If there are mats or rugs by the door to prevent snow and rain from being tracked in, they could pose a trip hazard if the edges are turned up. And with so many customers walking around the restaurant carrying drinks, spills are very common. Sometimes, the lighting in a restaurant may make it difficult to see if liquid is spilled on the floor. For the people who work in fast food restaurants, there’s also a risk of slipping on oil/grease that gets spilled on the floor of the food prep area. 

Businesses have a responsibility to make sure their locations are safe from things that are reasonably foreseeable safety hazards. For example, this could mean providing non-slip mats for employees to stand on while washing dishes or making sure Wet Floor signs are routinely put out after mopping or if a spill hasn’t been cleaned up yet. But if someone falls in a fast food restaurant, who is liable? 

If a Customer is Injured

If a customer falls and is injured while at a business, the business could be held liable through a concept known as premises liability. As long as a customer was lawfully in the business at the time they were injured, the business could be held liable for those injuries if the injury was the result of negligence. In this case, negligence could mean that the business either created a safety hazard, knew about a safety hazard but didn’t adequately warn others, knew about a hazard but didn’t fix it, or didn’t fix a hazard that they reasonably should have known existed. 

If an Employee is Injured

When workers are injured on the job, workers compensation can help them cover expenses directly related to their injury, such as medical bills, lost income, and rehabilitation. Even if you are only a part-time employee, you are still eligible for workers compensation benefits. 

In most cases, workers compensation is the only option to recover damages for work-related injuries. However, in some limited circumstances, injured workers might be able to file a lawsuit directly against their employer, such as if the employer doesn’t have workers comp insurance or if the employer was intentionally negligent. A lawyer will be able to help you figure out if this is an option for you. 

Contact a Michigan Slip & Fall Lawyer

If you’ve been injured while at a business of any kind, whether you’re a customer or employee, don’t hesitate to contact a lawyer for help. At Scott Goodwin Law, you’ll be able to get help from Michigan-based lawyers experienced in handling slip and fall cases, as well as workplace injury cases. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation and find out how we can help you.

Image: Pexels / Foodie Factor