Formerly known as St. Louis Bread Company, Panera Bread has expanded far beyond its Midwestern roots. With more than 2,000 locations, Panera has built a significant footprint across the United States and Canada.
Known for their fast-casual approach to dining, most Panera Bread locations are able to service a large number of customers over the course of a lunch hour. This steady stream of customers can be overwhelming for employees, especially when scheduling mistakes leave them understaffed. Heavy customer traffic can also lead to slow response time for cleaning up spills and addressing other hazards. The result is often a slip and fall accident.
Slip and fall accidents have the potential to cause serious bodily harm. If you or a loved one were injured in a slip and fall accident at Panera Bread, the team at Ben Crump Law, PLLC can help. An injury lawyer for slip and fall accidents at Panera Bread can review your case, explain your legal options, and help you fight for compensation. Call us today at (800) 647-3113 to learn more.
Common Slip and Fall Injuries
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that falls are the leading cause of injury and death among older Americans. However, Americans of all ages are at risk of slipping and falling at Panera Bread and other restaurants.
A fall injury can affect any part of the body. Customers who lose their balance may attempt to break their fall with their arm or land awkwardly on their leg. Others may land on their head, back, or neck, where injuries are more likely to be long-term or permanent. The Mayo Clinic confirms that even minor head injuries can cause chronic symptoms such as headaches or difficulty concentrating.
Some common injuries resulting from a slip and fall accident include:
- Skull fractures
- Broken shoulders
- Broken forearms
- Cuts and bruises
- Neck trauma
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Nerve damage
- Chipped teeth
- Sprains and strains
- Paralysis
In some cases, these injuries can represent a lifetime of chronic pain and lifestyle changes. An injury lawyer for slip and fall accidents at Panera Bread can help you recoup the cost of treatment, including doctor visits, hospital stays, physical therapy, and more. Contact Ben Crump Law, PLLC today at (800) 647-3113 for a free consultation.
When You Can Sue
Your ability to recover financial compensation after a slip and fall at Panera Bread will depend on the circumstances of your accident. To negotiate a settlement or prevail at trial, you must establish that Panera Bread failed to take reasonable steps to ensure your safety.
There is no simple definition for what is reasonable in this situation. However, there are some general factors to consider when determining whether to pursue a slip and fall accident claim against Panera Bread. First and foremost, you must establish that the company knew or should have known about the hazard that caused you to fall, yet failed to respond to the hazard in a reasonable manner.
Determining reasonability will depend in part on how long the hazard was in place prior to your fall. If you slipped on a spill that occurred only seconds before, you will likely struggle to prove that Panera Bread failed to act reasonably. On the other hand, a spilled drink that remained on the floor for hours could be much stronger evidence that Panera Bread failed to act with reasonable care.
Finally, you can only recover compensation when you act in good faith. If you were keenly aware of the hazard and failed to take any steps to avoid a fall, you may not be awarded compensation for your injuries.
Time Limit for Bringing Legal Action
There are strict deadlines for lawsuits in every jurisdiction across the country, also known as the statute of limitations. Each state has its own statute of limitations for slip and fall injury claims. In most cases, the time limit begins to expire on the date the injury occurred, but the amount of time it lasts varies dramatically. Some states give only one year to file a slip and fall injury claim, while others allow as much as four years. An injury lawyer for slip and fall accidents at Panera Bread can explain the statute of limitations in your jurisdiction.
Whatever the statute of limitations may be, it is crucial that you comply with it. Failure to adhere to the statute of limitations will likely result in the dismissal of your case with prejudice, no matter how strong your claim against Panera Bread might be. If you file your lawsuit after the statutory period expires, you can expect the defense to move to dismiss your case right away.
Some jurisdictions have exceptions that will pause or toll the statutory period. These include instances where the injured party was under the age of 18 at the time of the fall or the defendant left the state. It is rare for courts to allow a plaintiff to make use of these exceptions. To ensure you protect your legal claim, it is best to never assume you are entitled to an extension of the statute of limitations. You are most likely to recover compensation for your injuries by ensuring your lawsuit is filed within the time allotted. The sooner you contact an injury lawyer for slip and fall accidents at Panera Bread, the sooner we can begin building your case.
Ben Crump Law, PLLC Can Help
If you or a loved one were injured in a slip and fall accident at Panera Bread, you have some important decisions to make about filing a personal injury claim. You do have the legal right to pursue compensation, but failure to act in a timely manner could put your claim at risk.
No one should be left with the physical, emotional, and financial burden of a slip and fall accident that was not their fault. An injury lawyer for slip and fall accidents at Panera Bread can help maximize your financial recovery and make you whole again. Contact Ben Crump Law, PLLC today at (800) 647-3113 for a free case evaluation.
