Many restaurant-goers are injured by slippery floors and uneven pavements, but the restaurant injuries that tend to garner the most attention are those involving food. When a server is distracted, rushed, or careless, they may accidentally spill grease, coffee, or another hot food or drink on a customer, causing the customer to suffer serious burns. If you are injured by hot food or drink at a restaurant, meet with a personal injury attorney to determine whether you can recover compensation for your injuries.
Texas premises liability law requires restaurant owners to provide a safe experience to customers, so while there is no legal guarantee that you will love your food, a restaurant may be held responsible if you were injured on the premises.
What Kind of Injuries Can Hot Food or Drink Cause?
While the idea of someone suing over spilled food may seem silly if it has never happened to you, hot liquids can instantly cause debilitating injuries that require extensive medical treatment. These include, but are not limited to:
- Liquid burns – Hot water or other liquids can destroy skin tissue and cells, causing burns all the way up to a third-degree, or full-thickness, burn in which all the layers of skin are burned away
- Steam burns – Similar to hot liquid burns, steam burns are scalding injuries. Guests may unsuspectingly bite into food containing hot steam, such as pastries or dumplings, that release boiling hot steam into the mouth
- Grease burns – Restaurants with teppanyaki-style grills cook food in front of guests, sometimes splashing cooking grease onto patrons and causing burns with characteristic blistering or charring
When hot liquids or foods spill onto a customer at a restaurant, it can be difficult to take immediate action. The longer the hot substance is left on the skin, the greater the chance becomes of the customer suffering a serious burn. Restaurant staff or managers who have no first-aid training may not know what to do and inadvertently aggravate the condition.
Even if you think you may have been partially at fault for your injuries, talk to an attorney. Do not negotiate a settlement with the restaurant or their insurance company before understanding your options.
Call a Houston, TX Premises Liability Lawyer
Accidents in restaurants have the potential to change your life in a split second. At Law Office of Shane R. Kadlec, we know that while nothing can take back your suffering, we understand how important it is to pursue compensation that allows you to financially recover from the damages inflicted upon you. For help pursuing a premises liability lawsuit against a restaurant that neglected its duty of care, call our Harris County personal injury attorney today at 281-643-2000 to schedule a free, confidential consultation.
Source:
https://www.healthline.com/health/boiling-water-burn#_noHeaderPrefixedContent
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