What To Do If You Suffer a Burn Injury at a Restaurant

Colburn Law

Posted in Burn Injuries on March 6, 2022

Restaurants can be dangerous places for customers and employees alike. Hot foods and liquids, heating elements, and even open flames can pose a serious risk and lead to severe, debilitating burn injuries.

If you suffer a burn injury while dining at a restaurant in Washington, it is important to remain calm, seek medical attention, and speak to a burn injury lawyer as soon as possible. You may be eligible for financial compensation.

Causes of Burn Injuries at Restaurant

Burn injuries can be painful and debilitating. Depending on the degree and severity of the burn, you can suffer from permanent nerve damage, scarring, and long-term pain. It can take several weeks to months to recover from a burn injury.

At a restaurant, many hazards can lead to a burn injury, including the following.

• Hot foods and liquids that spill on a customer
• Hot plates that are used to serve food, such as skillets
• Open flames from candles and tableside displays

Your Legal Rights After a Burn Injury

All restaurant owners have a duty to ensure that their patrons are safe. If a hazard could harm a patron, these owners have a responsibility to warn customers and take steps to make the hazard less dangerous. Unfortunately, not all owners uphold this duty, resulting in burn injuries.

If you are burned at a restaurant, you have the right to file a lawsuit against the establishment and recover compensation to pay for medical care, lost wages, chronic pain, and more. To secure a settlement, you will need to show that the following facts are true.

• The restaurant owner owed you a duty of care.
• The restaurant owner breached the duty of care.
• Your burn injuries were caused by the breach of duty.
• You sustained damages that you can claim in your lawsuit.

For example, say that you are at a restaurant and order a meal. The restaurant instructs its staff to serve this meal in a hot, sizzling skillet. When a server brings the meal to your table, he accidentally sets it down on top of your hand. You suffer serious third-degree burns.

Due to the severity of your injury, you could establish that the skillet was dangerously hot and posed a hazard to patrons. Therefore, the owner breached her duty of care. If the skillet was kept at a safe temperature, your injuries would not have occurred. 

What to Do After an Accident at a Restaurant

If you are burned at a restaurant, it is important to remain calm and seek help as soon as possible. Seek emergency medical attention immediately. Take photographs and videos of your injuries, the area around your accident, and the object that caused your burn injury. 

Some restaurants have incident reports that you can fill out to report an injury. If possible, ask the staff if you could complete an incident report so that it is on file. If any witnesses saw the accident occur, ask for their contact information so you can speak to them at a later time.

After you receive medical care, contact a Washington burn injury lawyer as soon as possible. An attorney can represent your lawsuit against the restaurant and help you secure the compensation you need to recover.