El Torito, which translates to “the little bull,” is a chain of Mexican-American restaurants based primarily in California. The company has over 69 locations, and they are well known for their vast selection of tacos, burritos, enchiladas, and other Mexican favorites. Without a doubt, most El Torito locations are packed throughout the week, especially on Sundays, when they offer an all-you-can brunch.
With so many customers and workers on the premises, there’s a good chance that someone will be injured if the restaurant is lax in their duty of care. Constant cleaning, supervision, and maintenance is necessary to ensure that floors and surfaces, both inside and outside the restaurant, are free of things that can cause someone to fall. Slip and fall and trip and fall injuries are especially common at these places due to vast quantities of drinks, oil, condiments, lime / lemon juice, and bits of food that can end up on the floor. But there are many other conditions that may be lurking on the property, which can lead to a slip and fall or trip and fall accident.
If you or your loved suffered injuries from a fall-related accident at El Torito, please take some time to learn about your rights and legal options. Contact us to speak with an El Torito restaurant accident lawyer.
Fall Accident Hazards at El Torito
Slip and falls and trip and falls are the most common causes of injury at restaurants like El Torito. That’s because restaurants are full of hazards that can cause people to fall down unexpectedly. Let’s go over some of these conditions:
- Beverage spills on the floor
- Leaking appliances
- Grease and food debris on the floor
- Water leaks from pipes
- Leaking sinks and toilets in the bathroom
- No Wet Floor signs on a freshly mopped floor
- Parking lot hazards – ice, puddles, snow, etc.
- Boxes, rolled up mats and other items in the way of customer traffic
- Stray cords and wires
- No anti-slip mats or insufficient / defective mats
- Poorly designed or missing handrails
- Broken or missing tiles
- Worn or frayed carpeting
- Sticky or slippery floors from improper cleaning methods
- Decorations and displays with protruding edges
- Insufficient lighting
Not every accident can be blamed on the restaurant, but there’s no denying that most slip and falls and trip and falls could have been prevented. Even during their busiest hours, El Torito is responsible for cleaning, removing, or repairing conditions on their property that can cause someone to be injured. As an accident victim, you have legal options, which we are happy to explore with you during a free consultation.
Our Recent Verdicts and Settlements
$2.5 Million
$1.1 Million
$1.5 Million
$600,000
$525,000
$734,851
Injuries from Falling Down at El Torito
Falling down doesn’t seem like such a big deal, but slipping on or tripping over something can be very dangerous to various parts of your body. The blunt force trauma from falling down unexpectedly is responsible for over 8 million emergency room visits every year. Out of these patients, around 800,000 of them are hospitalized due to a serious injury, such as:
- Traumatic brain injury
- Skull fracture
- Hip fracture
- Broken facial bones
- Lost or broken teeth
- Damage to the internal organs
- Spinal cord damage
- Whiplash
- Fractured or dislocated kneecap
- Soft tissue injuries
- Permanent scars
- Life-threatening infection from puncture wounds
- Nerve damage / paralysis
- Chronic pain
- Fatality
Many people insist that they’re okay and go straight home instead of visiting a hospital. However, we urge you to seek medical attention right away. Even if your injuries appear to be superficial, there may be serious damage lying underneath. You may also have an injury that takes time to manifest, but a doctor can run the necessary tests and provide treatment options to minimize long-term complications. This is particularly important in cases like hip fracture and internal bleeding from organ damage, which can easily cause death if they’re not treated right away.
Another issue is your right to compensation, as you will need a medical record to prove how badly you were hurt as a result of the accident. This is important not just for your medical expenses, but for non-economic damages, like pain and suffering. To make sure you receive every penny you deserve, please go to your doctor, an urgent care center, or an emergency room right away if you’ve had a slip and fall or trip and fall at an El Torito location.
Can I File a Lawsuit against El Torito?
Yes, you can sue El Torito for your injuries if negligence by the restaurant owner or staff caused you to suffer a fall-related accident. Your right to legal action is based on California’s premises liability law, which requires owners to inspect and maintain their property on a regular basis. Thus, if you are a legitimate guest or visitor at El Torito and you were harmed by a condition that the restaurant knew about or should have known about, you are entitled to monetary compensation.
While an attorney is not required to proceed with an accident claim, it’s in your best interest to retain legal representation. Keep in mind that restaurant chains are major corporations with their own team of lawyers and insurance adjusters. These people make a living on finding ways to deny your claim or manipulate you into saying or doing something that can be used to lower your settlement value. If your goal is to recover maximum payment, working with an experienced slip and fall lawyer is the best way to achieve this outcome.
What can I Ask for in a Lawsuit against El Torito?
Slip and fall or trip and fall lawsuits are meant to compensate you for the losses you’ve incurred due to another party’s negligence. As the victim of a fall-accident injury, you would seek damages through a personal injury lawsuit. On the other hand, if you’ve lost a loved one to a fall-related accident at El Torito, you may have grounds for a wrongful death compensation claim. Below is a list of the damages that can be recovered from these lawsuits:
- Medical expenses (for yourself, or to cover medical bills left behind by the decedent)
- Lost wages or loss of expected income
- Pain and suffering / emotional distress
- Funeral expenses
- Loss of consortium
- Loss of benefits, like pension funds and healthcare
- Property damage
- Punitive damages
- Legal fees
When you meet with for a free consultation, we will explain which of these damages you are entitled to. Then, we will calculate your settlement value and fight tirelessly to recover your payment.
Free Second Opinion
Along with free initial consultations, we offer second opinions for claimants that have a pending case with another law firm. You may have been to another doctor for a second opinion to talk about a medical diagnosis or treatment that you’re unsure about. We provide a similar service for injury victims who want a second opinion on their rights and legal options. If you have any questions or concerns about your injury case, don’t hesitate to contact us. We never charge for a second opinion, so there’s no risk to you by contacting us if you have questions or concerns about a slip and fall or trip and fall injury claim.
Average Case Value of a Fall Accident Lawsuit
Most people are interested in learning what these cases are worth on average, but in reality, there’s no universal value that can be applied to a slip and fall or trip and fall accident claim. At our office, we’ve recovered settlements starting from $15,000 going all the way up $2.5 million and above. We examine many factors in order to determine a fair amount of damages for each of our clients. These elements include, but are not limited to: the severity of their injuries, the accident’s impact on their career and personal life, the level of emotional trauma, and the degree of negligence by the defendant. In short, calculating what you can receive from a successful lawsuit isn’t something you should do on your own. Instead, contact our law firm to speak with one of our attorneys.
How long will it take to Settle my Claim?
We know how stressful it can be to wait on your payment when you are dealing with the aftermath of an accident. Unfortunately, these cases take time to resolve – usually 6 to 8 months depending on the other side’s cooperation and how quickly they respond to our demands. It’s possible that your case will be settled sooner, perhaps within 30 days to three months. However, the majority of these accidents lead to serious injuries, which make them high value cases. You can expect pushback from the restaurant under these circumstances, which may extend your case timeline to one or more years, especially if your case goes to trial.
Deadline to Sue El Torito for a Slip and Fall or Trip and Fall
Personal injury lawsuits in California are subject to a statute of limitations, which is normally 2 years in the case of a slip and fall or trip and fall accident. The starting date for the two-year window begins on the day of your accident, the date you discovered an injury from the accident, or the date on which your loved one passed away. More time to file a lawsuit may be given under limited circumstances, but as a general rule, you must take legal action within the two-year window. To protect your rights and receive the damages you deserve, contact us and take action on an injury claim as soon as possible.
Take Advantage of the Zero Fee Guarantee
Most people understand that it’s in their best interest to hire an attorney if they’ve been injured by the actions of another individual or entity. However, most accident victims are struggling with their finances, and as a result, they are hesitant to contact a law firm. Our attorneys understand the pressure you’re under, but rest assured that you never pay upfront when you choose Normandie Law Firm. We operate under a contingency agreement known as the Zero fee guarantee. We wait till the end of your case to get paid, and that’s only if we recover your settlement. Otherwise, you owe us absolutely nothing, since we only get paid if you get paid.
In essence, you can take advantage of our many years of experience without paying a single cent. Our lawyers are here to assist you 24/7, so please call to schedule a free case review.
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