54-year-old Female Suffers Back Injury After Slip and Fall at Starbucks

Type of Injury: Back Injury

Type of Case: Premises Liability

Settlement Amount: Confidential

This lawsuit results from an occurrence on September 2, 2010 at the Starbucks store located at 210 W. North Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60641.

Immediately before the F-54’s fall, an unknown Starbucks employee wet-mopped the floor. Immediately after the plaintiff’s fall, the floor was still wet. The only difference in the recollection of the facts pertains to the existence and location of any warning signage present immediately before the fall.

Plaintiff testified that there was no signage in place (either outside the bathroom in the hallway or inside the bathroom) to warn invitees of the wet and/or dangerous condition of the floor. Plaintiff testified that there was a wet floor sign stowed under the sink and against the wall.

Starbucks’ employee testified that following the fall both she and the store manager inspected the bathroom. The floor was a drying, but still wet. The procedure was to put a wet floor sign/cone in the hallway leading to the bathroom. The store-employee did not recall whether there was a sign in the hallway at the time of the plaintiff’s fall. The store-employee recalled seeing a wet floor sign inside the bathroom after the plaintiff’s fall, but she does not recall where it was located. When used properly, the store-employee testified that it was to be placed in the center of the bathroom floor.

As a result of the fall, the plaintiff sustained injuries to her lower back and neck. She developed lower back pain and L5 radiculitis.

The above summary is specific to a particular case and is not intended as a projected outcome on any other matter.