Since its founding in 1971, Starbucks has grown from a local coffeehouse in Seattle’s Pike Place Market to one of the largest food service corporations in the world with more than 17,000 locations in the United States alone. Despite their immense growth as an organization, Starbucks is also somewhat unique in that a majority of their stores are corporate-owned rather than being franchised out to local owners.
Among other things, this means that the process of filing civil suit over a Starbucks slip and fall accident in New Port Richey can sometimes work a little differently than a claim over a similar accident in another retail store. If you have been hurt by a dangerous property condition inside a local Starbucks, a slip and fall attorney from LMD Injury Lawyers can help you understand those differences and proactively pursue the compensation you need for your injuries.
Under premises liability law, customers in retail stores—including food service establishments like Starbucks—are classified as “invitees.” This means that the owners and managers of those stores have a legal duty of care not only to warn customers about known hazards and to address those hazards reasonably quickly after they arise, but also to regularly inspect their property for as-yet undiscovered hazards either on their own or through a subordinate.
So, if the owner or manager of a New Port Richey Starbucks allows you to get hurt in a slip and fall accident specifically because they failed to put out a warning sign by a wet floor, did not fix a loose floor tile, or otherwise failed to diligently ensure their property was in reasonably safe condition, you may have grounds to file suit. As was mentioned above, though, the complexity in cases like this often comes in determining whether a local group or individual is responsible for day-to-day operations at a Starbucks store, or whether the Starbucks Corporation is. That kind of challenge is one our team can help you efficiently overcome.
Regardless of who specifically is to blame for a slip and fall injury in a New Port Richey Starbucks, an ensuing lawsuit or settlement demand can seek restitution for every negative impact that injury will ever have on the injured person’s life, including:
However, even if you suffer a slip and fall injury with long-term or permanent repercussions, you only have four years under Florida state law to formally file suit over that injury—just one reason among many why contacting legal counsel quickly after an accident can be vital to case success.
While not every accident inside a retail store can necessarily justify a lawsuit, that certainly does not mean major corporations like Starbucks are never civilly liable for injuries that occur on their property. If you were hurt through a Starbucks slip and fall accident in New Port Richey recently, you may have grounds to demand substantial compensation for the losses your accident has caused you.
That said, pursuing a claim like this can be difficult to manage alone under any circumstances, and especially when your opposition is a multinational food service brand. Call today for the legal support you need and deserve.
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