Slip and fall accidents happen more often than people realize—and they can lead to serious, life-altering injuries. TGIFriday’s and other restaurants must have certain safety standards in place to prevent injuries. Otherwise, they may be responsible for the costs. If you were hurt in a TGIFriday’s in Georgia, it’s time to talk to a slip and fall accident and injury lawyer today.
At John Foy & Associates, we have 20 plus years of experience helping slip and fall injury victims win compensation for their damages. We know what it takes to win these types of cases, and we’re not afraid to stand up to the insurance companies. Contact us at (404) 400-4000 or online today for a FREE, no-risk consultation.
What to Know About Slip and Fall Accidents at TGIFriday’s in Georgia
TGIFriday’s has been offering American cuisine and drinks since its founding in New York in 1956. The founder, Alan Stillman, initially opened TGIFriday’s to provide a cocktail party setting for twenty- and thirty-somethings to meet each other. The company has grown a lot since then, with more than 900 locations worldwide and 10 TGI Fridays locations in Georgia, many of which are in Atlanta.
The TGIFriday’s menu features various types of American fare, including appetizers, burgers, steak, ribs, sandwiches, soups, salads, pastas, and more. They also offer low-carb, low-fat, and gluten-free menu options.
All TGIFriday’s locations in Georgia have a legal duty to maintain safe premises for diners. Management should enforce safety measures that prevent slip and fall accidents. If those standards are not followed and a diner gets hurt, it may be grounds for a personal injury claim. If the restaurant is found to be responsible for accident injuries, they would be liable for the costs.
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Top Four Causes of Slip and Fall Accidents at TGIFriday’s in Georgia
There are many ways slip and fall accidents can happen at TGIFriday’s locations. Of course, customers should be careful to avoid dangerous situations in public places—but restaurant managers and employees must also work to prevent, remove, or provide warning about potential slip and fall hazards.
Here are some of the most common reasons slip and fall accidents happen in Georgia.
1. Wet and Slippery Floors
There are so many different ways TGIFriday’s floors can get slippery and become a slip and fall accident hazard. Wet or slippery floors can result from:
- Standing water
- Food debris
- Waxing or polishing
- Water or other drink spills
- Oily substances
- Ice or rain that has been tracked in from outside
If an employee is mopping or cleaning the floor in any way, they should display a “wet floor” sign and/or block off the area to warn customers about the wet floor. If they do not provide sufficient warning until the hazard is no longer present and someone is injured, the restaurant may be liable.
2. Poor Weather Conditions
Of course, restaurant employees cannot control the weather. But they can monitor how inclement weather affects their floors and property outside of the premises.
Rain, sleet, ice, or snow can be easily tracked into the TGIFriday’s entrances, leaving the floors wet and slippery. In addition, sidewalks and parking lots can become hazardous during these types of weather.
Employees must take measures to keep weather conditions from causing slip and fall accidents, which may include regularly drying off floors, adding mats at the entrances, salting sidewalks, and other methods. If safety standards are not maintained, it’s a form of negligence and liability.
3. Uneven Surfaces
Uneven flooring surfaces in a TGIFriday’s location can be caused by:
- Loose floorboards
- Curled up or torn carpeting
- Folded rugs
- Cracked sidewalks
- Holes in sidewalks or the parking lot
- Unexpected steps
These can easily lead to slip and fall accidents because most diners are not used to watching out for uneven floors. A sudden trip on this poor flooring can have disastrous consequences.
4. Issues with Stairs
When a property contains stairs, it presents many potentially dangerous situations. Slip and fall accidents can happen due to broken or worn steps, loose or missing handrails, cracked steps, poor traction, and even bad lighting in the stairwell.
No matter how your slip and fall accident happened, you should not have to pay for the costs if the restaurant was at fault. To seek the compensation you deserve, you’ll need to file a personal injury claim with the restaurant’s insurance company.
How to Build a Strong Slip and Fall Case Against TGIFriday’s
In Georgia, when a person or party is negligent in an injury accident, damages can be given as compensation for what happened (Georgia Code section 51-12-4). However, the burden is on the injury victim to file a claim for damages.
Before you file your claim, you’ll need to gather evidence to prove that:
- The TGIFriday’s location owed you a duty of care.
- The restaurant’s employees breached their legal duty to maintain safe premises.
- You were injured as a result of the restaurant’s negligence.
- You suffered damages from the slip and fall injury accident.
Compiling the right information is not easy to do on your own. It’s best to consult with an experienced injury lawyer for slip and fall accidents as soon as possible. They can help you gather evidence of the accident, the restaurant’s negligence, and your total damages.
You can also help build your claim by taking pictures of the accident scene and the hazard that caused your fall, reporting the accident to store management, getting the names and contact information of any witnesses, seeing a doctor for your injuries, and keeping all evidence of your costs, especially your medical bills.
Once you file your claim, the insurance company will likely offer you a lowball settlement that doesn’t even come close to covering your damages. Your injury lawyer will then work to negotiate a settlement that is actually fair to you.
Talk to a TGIFriday’s Slip and Fall Accident and Injury Lawyer for Free Today
We highly recommend speaking with a slip and fall accident lawyer as soon as you can after your accident happens. At John Foy & Associates, we’re here to help—and we bring over 20 years of experience to the table. Plus, there’s no risk to work with us because we don’t take a fee unless we win you money.
To schedule a FREE consultation with one of our experienced lawyers today, call us at (404) 400-4000 or contact us online now.
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