Starbucks Pays Out $7.5 Million in Slip-and-Fall Accident Case

Starbucks will have to pay $7.5 million to a man who suffered a brain injury after a slip-and-fall accident at the coffee shop. According to a news report in the San Jose Mercury News, the man was picking up his coffee order in March 2008 when he slipped on the floor, which had just been mopped. He hit his head on the floor. The Starbucks manager said in court that three cones were put out to warn customers of the slippery floor. However, several witnesses testified during the trial that they only saw one cone on the floor. The man went to the doctor the next day because he was having head pain, nausea, and other symptoms. He was initially diagnosed with a concussion but was later diagnosed with brain trauma. The injury required more than a year of therapy and the man has not yet been able to go back to work.
Slip-and-fall or trip-and-fall accidents can cause minor, moderate, or even serious injuries. Supermarkets, restaurants, or coffee shops are often a prime spot for these types of accidents because their slick surfaces don’t efficiently absorb any liquid spilled on them. Coffee, soda, or water spilled on the floor can present a hazard if they are not cleaned up immediately. Injuries that have been documented in falls include broken bones, head injures, spinal cord injuries and herniated disks. Employees are required to ensure that the floor is safe for customers to walk on, or, they must place the proper signage warning customers of the hazard.
Companies are responsible for making sure their premises are free from any dangers that could cause an injury. If you were involved in a slip-and-fall or a trip-and-fall accident you may have a case if it can be proven the store or property owner in question was negligent and the fall was the result of such negligence.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a slip-and-fall or trip-and-fall accident, the experienced New York personal injury lawyers at the Law Offices of Kenneth A. Wilhelm will help fight for your rights. One of our clients was able to obtain a $1,700,000 settlement after she slipped on a wet floor, herniated a disk in her back, and tore cartilage in her knee. Please contact us at 1-800-WORK-4-YOU (1-800-967-5496). We can also help with personal injury cases in New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, or Florida. If you have been seriously injured in any of the 50 U.S. states, please call us and we will try to help you with your case.
Other phone numbers for us are:
1-800-RADIO-LAW, 1-888-WYPADEK, OR 1-800-LAS-LEYES
www.work4youlaw.com
Source: San Jose Mercury News