For most families going out to dinner for special occasions has become somewhat of a ritual. The restaurant business is booming, meaning there are record numbers of people being employed. In the United States alone there are roughly 6.3 million food or beverage servers.
Little did these servers, bartenders and busboys know, but they are at a constantly elevated risk for a slip and fall. Having a proper lawyer on your side can be what saves you extended pain and suffering.
The Risks
If you’ve been to any of the restaurants scattered across Utah you’ll have noticed servers carrying trays that seem to be heavier than they are. Most of these servers have been on their feet for hours at a time — some even stand for full days. These heavy trays, wet floors, sharp utensils and breakable glassware keep the servers at risk for injury at all times.
When the server moves too quickly from the kitchen to the bar and dining room multiple times per shift they can put themselves or others at risk and in need of a call to the family lawyer. Slip and fall injuries include, but are not limited to strain, sprains, cuts, lacerations, contusions and bruises.
What Restaurants Can Do
The service industry spends more than $2 billion each year for these types of injuries. There are several precautions that these establishments can take in order to keep their employees and guests safe from any kind of injury.
Wet or unsafe floor accounts for over half of all accidents. When any kind of spill happens, it should be cleaned up immediately. With proper flooring maintenance and carpet runners, employees should be able to maneuver their way around the restaurant unharmed. Most uniforms require servers to wear shoes with non-slip soles as an extra precaution.
In the case that a slip and fall accident happens and you find yourself in a Provo emergency room it helps to have an educated lawyer on your side.