If you were recently injured in an unfortunate accident at a cafe, you may feel entitled to compensation. By filing a personal injury claim, you can inform them of your accident and potentially receive compensation for you injuries.
Potential Hazards While Visiting a Cafe
Cafes can vary greatly depending on the location you visit — this is one of the ways good coffee shops keeps their chain more diverse than other stores. While this does enhance the customer’s experience, it makes it difficult to plan ahead for accident prevention.
Some of the most common accidents at a cafe include:
- slipping on coffee or tea in the cafe area
- slipping on water in the restroom
- tripping on uneven or broken stairs
- burns from spilled coffee
The nature of your injury will determine whether or not the cafe may be responsible to cover your injuries. If their’ “negligence” is found to be the cause of your injury, then they will be required to repay you for your injuries.
For example, someone running to the counter to get their coffee may be responsible for their own trip and fall. However, someone slipping on an uncleaned spill by the counter may not be at fault, and be eligible for compensation.
Starting Your PI Claim
Making a personal injury claim starts with writing a demand letter to their company insurance. Here, you will include the following things:
- your name, address, date, and relevant personal information
- a statement of why & how much you are asking for compensation
- a detailed description of the accident (moments before, during, and after)
- photographs of the scene of the accident
- attached statements from workers or customers that witnessed the event
- doctor’s diagnosis and medical bills resulting from the injuries
- work checks to demonstrate lost wages (if recovery from your injury prevented you from going to work)
If your demand letter is written in proper legal format and can check off all of the items on this list relevant to your case, then you are ready to file your claim. Find out how to file a personal injury claim here.
Preparing for Deposition
In many PI claims, there is always a chance that your case will go to “deposition”. Instead of going to court, you will be asked to appear in front of the shop’s attorneys in an official setting to provide a statement on the accident.
You will likely also be asked questions regarding your medical history, financial history, or criminal history, which is all a routine part of the process. Depositions typically do not take long, and are merely a way for the cafe to ensure that they were at fault for the accident. However, if the process worries you at all, then it may be wise to speak with a personal injury attorney.
Contacting a Personal Injury Attorney
When it comes to legal formatting, preparing for depositions, or especially in-court dates, there is no one better suited to help than a personal injury attorney. Their assistance can take some worry out of an already-stressful situation, and can make sure your negotiation with them results in the best compensation possible.
Even better, personal injury attorneys work on contingency, meaning you don’t pay them unless they win you your case. To see if their help may be right for you, schedule a free consultation with a personal injury attorney in your area.
*Disclaimer: The content of this article serves only to provide information and should not be construed as legal advice. If you file a claim against Starbucks, or any other party, you may not be entitled to any compensation.
