The Law Offices of Brent W. Caldwell recently resolved a serious injury case involving a restaurant chair collapse in Las Vegas. Our lawyers are licensed in California and Nevada, and we regularly handle serious injury cases in Orange County, Las Vegas, and the surrounding areas.
The claim was denied at the start with an initial settlement offer of $0. We filed suit under three legal theories: premises liability, negligence, and strict product liability. After continued case development, the matter was resolved for $2,725,000.
Both the restaurant and the chair distributor contributed money toward the settlement.
This result does not mean every chair collapse or product-related injury case will have the same outcome. Each claim depends on the facts, injuries, evidence, law, insurance coverage, and the parties involved. But this case shows why an early denial should not always be treated as the final word.
A Restaurant Chair Collapse Caused a Serious Spine Injury
Our client was injured when a restaurant chair collapsed. The fall caused a spine injury that required surgery.
At first glance, a chair collapse case may sound like a basic premises liability claim against the restaurant. But the facts supported a broader case. We looked not only at whether the restaurant kept its seating area safe, but also at whether the chair itself was unsafe and whether others in the chain of distribution shared responsibility.
That led to claims against both the restaurant and the chair distributor.
The Case Was Built Under Three Legal Theories
We pursued the case under three theories: premises liability, negligence, and strict product liability.
The premises liability claim focused on the restaurant’s responsibility to provide reasonably safe seating for customers.
The negligence claim focused on whether the parties failed to act with reasonable care in connection with the chair, including how it was selected, used, inspected, maintained, or kept in service.
The strict product liability claim focused on whether the chair was unsafe as a product. In a product liability case, responsibility may extend beyond the business where the injury happened. Depending on the facts, a distributor, seller, or other company in the product’s chain of distribution may also be held responsible.
In this case, the negligence and product liability claims became our strongest arguments.
Why the Initial $0 Offer Did Not End the Case
The case began with a denial and a $0 settlement offer. That can be frustrating for an injured person, especially when the injury requires surgery and affects daily life.
But an early denial does not always reflect the strength of a case. Insurance companies and defendants may deny a claim before all the evidence is gathered. They may dispute how the incident happened, whether the chair was unsafe, who was responsible, or whether the injury was related to the collapse.
We continued building the case after the denial. That included focusing on the condition of the chair, the roles of the restaurant and distributor, and the full extent of our client’s injuries and damages.
Why Product Liability Matters
When a chair collapses at a restaurant, the business where the injury happened may not be the only potential defendant. The chair may have been designed, manufactured, distributed, sold, assembled, maintained, or used in a way that made it unsafe.
A product liability claim can raise questions such as:
- Was the chair defective or unsafe?
- Did the chair fail during normal use?
- Were there problems with the chair’s design, materials, warnings, or instructions?
- Did the distributor or seller place an unsafe product into use?
- Were similar chairs involved in prior complaints or failures?
- Was the chair preserved after the incident?
These questions matter because serious injuries are not always caused by a single issue. A full investigation may show that more than one party contributed to the harm.
Evidence Can Make or Break a Claim
Chair collapse cases can depend heavily on physical evidence. The chair itself may be one of the most important pieces of proof.
Important evidence may include:
- Photos of the chair and scene
- The broken chair or failed parts
- Incident reports
- Witness statements
- Purchase records
- Maintenance or inspection records
- Prior complaints or similar incidents
- Medical records and surgical records
- Opinions from safety, product, and medical professionals
One risk in these cases is that the chair may be repaired, discarded, or replaced before anyone has the chance to inspect it. That is why it is important to act quickly after an injury at a restaurant, store, hotel, or other business.
What To Do After an Unsafe Product Injury
If you are injured because a chair, ladder, table, cart, appliance, or other product fails, take steps to protect the claim as soon as possible.
- Report the incident to the business and ask for a written report.
- Take photos of the product, the scene, and your injuries.
- Get names and contact information for witnesses.
- Ask the business to preserve the product and any video footage.
- Get medical care right away.
- Follow your treatment plan.
- Avoid giving a recorded statement before speaking with a personal injury attorney.
The sooner evidence is preserved, the better chance there is to identify all responsible parties.
Talk to Us After a Serious Injury at a Business
The Law Offices of Brent W. Caldwell represents injured people in serious personal injury cases, including premises liability claims, product liability claims, auto accidents, dog bites, and other injury matters. We offer free consultations, and personal injury cases are handled on a contingency fee basis. That means there are no attorney fees unless we recover compensation for you.
If you were injured because of an unsafe or dangerous condition at a restaurant, store, hotel, or other business, contact us today for a free consultation. We can review what happened, explain your options, and help you decide what to do next.
