Even a minor slip and fall accident at a place like Smokey Bones can lead to serious damages. If employees at the business are not careful to prevent and remove hazards, customers can slip and fall in the eating area, the bathroom, or even outside in the parking lot. If you were hurt at one of these restaurants, you may be entitled to financial recovery. The first step is speaking with a Smokey Bones slip and fall lawyer in Georgia.
For over 20 years, Georgia slip and fall accident lawyers have been helping our clients get the compensation they need and deserve. We firmly believe you should not have to pay for the costs of an accident you didn’t cause. To get help with your case and have any questions, answered, contact us at (404) 400-4000 or online and we’ll give you a FREE consultation to get started.
What to Know About Smokey Bones in Georgia
Smokey Bones (owned by Barbeque Integrated Inc and doing business as Smokey Bones Bar and Fire Grill), is a chain of barbeque restaurants in the Eastern United States, including Georgia. The first location was opened in Orlando, Florida, in 1999. In 2007, there were 56 Smokey Bones restaurants closed while the remaining 73 were sold to Barbeque Integrated Inc.
Menu items at Smokey Bones include house-smoked barbeque, wings, burgers, chicken, seafood, sandwiches, soups, and salads.
Georgia cities with Smokey Bones restaurant locations include:
- Lithonia
- Peachtree City
- Buford and
- Columbus
No matter which Smokey Bones you were injured in, you may be entitled to financial recovery. Each business has a duty to exercise ordinary care and maintain safe premises. If they fail to keep to that duty, they might be liable for your injury and damages.
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Two Important Questions to Ask in a Slip and Fall Case Against Smokey Bones
Most people are not familiar with slip and fall accidents in their day-to-day lives until they find themselves the victim of one. A slip and fall accident is a type of personal injury accident, which means it has resulted from someone else’s negligence.
It’s common for many slip and fall victims to blame themselves for what happened. However, it’s very important that you not blame yourself after slipping and falling before you have all the facts. Speaking with a lawyer who specializes in these types of cases will get you the answers you need.
When you schedule a consultation with a slip and fall lawyer to discuss your case, there are two vital questions that they will ask when determining if you have a valid claim.
Where Did You Slip and Fall?
If you were injured anywhere other than your own private property, there is a chance you have a case. When someone else legally invites or leads others onto their property, they are responsible for keeping the premises safe. This includes businesses like Smokey Bones in Georgia.
If your injury happened on property owned or occupied by a Smokey Bones establishment, your lawyer will then look at the details of how you fell and were injured.
Was Negligence Involved?
For a slip and fall case to be valid in any way, there must be a degree of negligence involved. Under Georgia Code section 51-1-2, ordinary negligence is defined as the absence of ordinary diligence, which is defined as the “degree of care which is exercised by ordinarily prudent persons under the same or similar circumstances.”
Since businesses like Smokey Bones have a duty to maintain safe premises following ordinary diligence, they are negligent if anyone representing the business breaches that duty. For example, an owner, manager, or employee of the restaurant might be negligent if they:
- Fail to clean up a food or beverage spill
- Mop the floors without leaving out a “wet floor” sign to warn patrons
- Leave merchandise or clutter in a walking area
- Fail to fix uneven walkways or sidewalks
- Do not mark big steps up or down
The above are just a few examples. There are many ways a restaurant may be negligent, and if that negligence is the main cause of your slip and fall accident, the restaurant is likely liable for your resulting damages.
A slip and fall lawyer will consider all of this when evaluating your case. If you fell on the restaurant’s property and negligence was involved, chances are good that you are entitled to seek compensation.
What Money from a Slip and Fall Case Pays in Georgia
In Georgia, damages are the compensation given after an injury accident like a slip and fall (Georgia Code section 51-12-4). If Smokey Bones was at fault for your injuries, you can file a personal injury claim with their insurance company to seek damages. This compensation is meant to “make you whole” as much as possible by covering the costs of your injuries.
Damages in a slip and fall accident can include both special and general damages. Special damages from your injuries may include:
- Medical bills
- Prescription medications
- Future and long-term medical costs
- Lost wages and
- Loss of earning capacity
Special damages can be easily proved and calculated through documentation like medical bills and previous pay stubs or tax returns. General damages, on the other hand, are not so straight forward.
General damages can include:
- Pain and suffering
- Mental anguish
- Loss of enjoyment of life
- Embarrassment or
- Anxiety
You will need help from an experienced slip and fall lawyer to demonstrate these types of damages, as they don’t have a specific dollar amount. Your lawyer will consider how the damages affect your day-to-day life since the accident when including them in the full value of your claim.
Talk to a Smokey Bones Slip and Fall Accident and Injury Lawyer in Georgia for Free Today
You don’t have to handle the aftermath of a slip and fall accident at Smokey Bones alone. Our slip and fall lawyers have more than 20 years of experience, and we can help.
Call us today and we’ll set you up with a FREE consultation and case evaluation. Call (404) 400-4000 or contact us online to get started for FREE today.
404-400-4000 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
