Tip of finger amputated when moving bar stool that was loose

Our client, a 49 year old man was with some business associates at a bar/restaurant in Delray Beach, Florida, when he attempted to sit on a bar stool. As he sat he grabbed the seat of the stool to move it closer to the bar when his finger caught between the seat and the base on which the seat was sitting. As he sat, the tip of his right ring finger was amputated he immediately rushed to the men’s room to wash it off, then he returned to the bar area where a search of the area was unsuccessful in finding the tip of his finger. An inspection of the bar stool revealed that a bracket was missing, which had caused a screw to fall out. He was rushed to the emergency room where they medical personnel cleaned and attempted to repair the damage to the finger. He shortly thereafter returned to his home in South Carolina, where he came under the care of an orthopedic surgeon, who determined that although the finger would heal from an aesthetic standpoint, our client would continue to suffer ongoing pain and numbness in the finger.

Our client hired Dell & Schaefer to obtain compensation for his injuries. The restaurant claimed that our client was himself negligent in the way that he grabbed and moved the stool. We therefore had to file a lawsuit on behalf of our client. After extensive discovery, it was determined that other stools in the bar also had been discovered to be loose and that the restaurant was on notice of a potential ongoing problem.

Ultimately, at mediation we were able to convince the restaurant of its negligence and the extent of the injury, thereby enabling us to obtain a confidential settlement to compensate our client for his damages.

If ever you are injured in a restaurant or other public facility, please contact the attorneys at Dell & Schaefer for a free consultation.