If you’ve been a mall, shopping center, airport, or college campus, chances are, you’ve been to a Panda Express. At the very least, you’ve seen their red, black, and white panda logo, which you can find in over 2,200 locations throughout the world. The restaurant is known for their distinct take on American-Chinese cuisine, which include dishes like grilled teriyaki chicken and honey walnut shrimp.
When a Panda express is well-managed, diners enjoy a casual dining experience with fast and friendly service. But owners and employees can become lax in their duties and fail to take care of hazardous situations throughout the property. If these situations, accidents to visitors and guests is more than likely, which is precisely what may have happened to you or your loved one.
As someone who was injured by the restaurant’s negligence, you have the right to seek monetary compensation for the harm you’ve suffered. But it’s hard to achieve success in these cases without help from an experienced premises liability attorney. Our lawyers are ready to take action on your claim and work tirelessly to bring you the highest possible settlement. Contact our law firm to speak with a Panda Express accident attorney.
Potential Accidents at a Panda Express Location
Drink spills, leaking pipes and appliances, falling objects from walls and ceilings are just a few of the hazards that can cause serious injury to unsuspecting victims at a restaurant. Because of the high risk for injuries, Panda Express owners are responsible for repairing or removing hazards on their property before they can lead to one of the following accidents:
- Slip and fall
- Trip and fall
- Broken chair accident
- Falling objects
- Parking lot / drive thru accidents
- Assault and battery
- Sexual assault
Certain accidents, like assault and battery and sexual assault, can be very complicated depending on the circumstances. In many cases, these incidents can be traced to lack of security measures, especially insufficient or broken surveillance cameras. However, broken locks, service doors that are propped open, and poor lighting can also present opportunities for muggings, physical altercations, and sexual violence. Then, there are accidents like car crashes in the drive thru and parking lots, which may be blamed on a negligent driver instead of, or in addition to the restaurant.
We mention all this to show you the possible complexities that may be involved with your injury claim. Rest assured that we can work through these issues one by one and bring you the compensation you deserve.
Our Recent Verdicts and Settlements
$2.5 Million
$1.1 Million
$1.5 Million
$600,000
$525,000
$734,851
Common Injuries from an Accident at Panda Express
The accidents we covered in the previous section can cause serious harm to various parts of your body. Injuries you can sustain on the premises of a Panda Express include:
- Broken facial bones
- Dental damage – chipped / lost teeth
- Dislocated shoulder
- Tailbone fracture
- Hip / pelvic fracture
- Internal bleeding
- Disfigurement / permanent scarring
- First to third degree burns
- Knee injury
- Fracture of the wrist, hand, or ankle
- Spinal cord damage
- Neck injury
- Traumatic brain injury
- Loss of function (nerve damage)
- Nerve damage
- Paraplegia / quadriplegia
- Death
Many people are embarrassed from being injured in public, and seeking medical attention is the last thing on their minds. However, we implore you to take that step of going to a hospital and being examined by a doctor. First and foremost, you want to reduce the risk of serious health complications, which is the likely result if you put off medical treatment. Second, you will need proof of your immediate injuries, as well as an on-going record of all the treatments you will have to endure as a result of your accident. That way, you can fight for the full value of your losses through an injury claim against Panda Express.
Can I Sue Panda Express for my Accident?
Yes, you can sue Panda Express if you were injured at one of their locations due to the restaurant’s failure to exercise reasonable care, which would have prevented your accident. Your legal rights are based on the law of premises liability, which requires owner to:
- Refrain from reckless or careless actions that can cause harm to another party
- Take care of any hazards that have the potential to injure others.
Negligence by a restaurant includes actions of the employees, as well as the business owner. As an example, a restaurant owner tells his employees to salt the sidewalks before they leave for the night, since they are expecting snow. However, the employees in charge of this duty are lax or careless, and forget to put salt on the sidewalks. The next day, a customer walking towards the restaurant is injured from slipping on the ice that formed overnight. While the owner did not cause the accident, they are vicariously responsible for the actions of their employees, thus they can be sued by the victim or their family members.
Liability, or responsibility for an accident, is a complicated concept that’s difficult to prove. With help from one of our attorneys, you can succeed in a Panda Express injury claim and recover the damages you are entitled to.
Monetary Compensation from a Panda Express Injury Claim
Your compensation claim as an accident victim includes much more than the cost of treating your injuries. Here is a list of the economic and non-economic damages we typically recover on behalf of our clients:
- Cost of medical treatments
- Cost of physical therapy and mental health counseling
- Lost wages or lost earning potential
- Pain and suffering
- Property damage
- Attorney’s fees
What if you’re not the injured party, but someone who lost a loved one to an accident at Panda Express? In that case, please speak with a wrongful death lawyer at our office, who can help you pursue the following forms of compensation:
- Funeral costs
- Medical expenses
- Loss of consortium
- Pain and suffering
- Lost income / benefits
- Legal fees
Money can’t make up for losing someone you love, and taking legal action may seem wrong at a time like this. But it won’t be long before the losses associated with your family member’s passing catches up with you. You should not have to suffer with these hardships when another party’s negligence is responsible for your loved one’s accident. For more information on your rights and legal options, call us to schedule a free case review.
What is the Average Value of a Panda Express Injury Case?
This is a very challenging question to answer, as much of your settlement value depends on the type of injuries you’ve suffered and the extent to which they affect your life. Injuries vary widely from person to person, and what they lose as a result of an accident is a personal matter. If we had to take an educated guess, cases with minor injuries may settle for around $25,000 to $60,000. If you have moderate injuries (ones requiring surgery and rehabilitation), $125,000 to $350,000 is a more accurate range. The highest values are associated with severe and/or permanent injuries, or cases of wrongful death. With these claims, the amount of recoverable damages may be around $500,000 to several million dollars.
How long does it take to get Paid on these Cases?
There is no universal timeline that applies to the settlement process for these cases, as we can attest from the many claimants we’ve represented throughout the years. On average, the majority our cases are settled within 6 to 8 months, though severe or permanent injury claims will take much longer – perhaps a year to 18 months in order to achieve a fair amount of damages. Depending on the other side’s cooperation (or lack thereof), we may have to proceed with a lawsuit. While it’s more than likely that your lawsuit will settle out of court, the recovery process can still take 2 or more years at that point.
Deadline to File a Lawsuit
Personal injury lawsuits must be filed within a certain amount of time after the date of your accident, or the date of discovering an injury from the accident. This is known as the statute of limitations, and in most restaurant injury cases, the time limit to file a lawsuit is two years. This is the same for wrongful death claims, except you would have two years from the decedent’s death to seek compensation from Panda Express. This is not as much time as you think; the days after an accident go by very quickly. Before you know it, you’re close to the two-year mark, or you’ve exceeded the filing deadline for your claim. At that point, you will most likely lose the right to sue. To ensure that you are able to get paid on your case, call us right away to initiate an accident claim against Panda Express.
Second Opinion on Active Cases
Have you been to a doctor for a second opinion on your medical diagnosis? A lawyer can provide the same type of service if you have questions or concerns about an active injury or wrongful death case. Some people that we speak with want to verify the recommendations made by their attorney. Others are dissatisfied with how things are going in their case and want to know about the pros and cons of changing lawyers. The attorneys of Normandie are here for you no matter the issue. Best of all, our advice is free with no pressure to switch over to our law firm. As you can see, there is no harm in taking some time to meet with us. Please schedule a free second opinion at your earliest convenience.
No Upfront Costs for Injury Victims
It’s an unfortunate truth, but accidents at restaurants are extremely common due to circumstances that could have been easily resolved. Most victims know about the advantages of hiring an attorney, but how can they afford the associated costs when they’re struggling to recover from an accident? That’s one thing you’ll never have to worry about here at Normandie Law Firm. We operate under a contingency agreement known as the Zero fee guarantee. You pay us nothing throughout the entire duration of your case, since you are not responsible for our expenses. Those are paid by the party you are suing, which means we get paid at the same time you do. If we don’t win your case, you walk away without paying us a penny.
To explore your legal options with a Panda Express injury attorney, contact us right away for a free case review.
Other Pages on Our Website Related to This Topic
El Pollo Loco Slip and Fall Attorney
Restaurant Slip and Fall Attorney
Smashburger Slip Trip and Fall Lawsuit
