Texas Attorneys Obtain Favorable Result for Restaurant Client

Houston Partner Scott L. Scheinthal and Attorney Rima C. Patel recently obtained a favorable result in the Bexar County District Court.

Plaintiff was a patron of our client’s restaurant who slipped and fell in the bar area at the establishment in San Antonio, Texas. Subsequently, Plaintiff filed suit against our client who admitted liability because an employee had wet mopped the floors while customers were in the restaurant, violating company policy. Plaintiff’s counsel asked the jury for $11 million for her injuries and rejected our Defense counsels’ pre-trial offer of $750 thousand.

During the two-week jury trial, Defense counsel presented four expert doctors who testified that plaintiff’s alleged injuries were pre-existing injuries. In addition, Scott and Rima were able to prove to the jury that some comparative fault should be placed on Plaintiff for failing to take caution while walking across a wet floor.

In November 2023, the jury awarded Plaintiff less than half of our pre-trial offer, and attributed 10 percent of the award to Plaintiff in comparative fault.

Scott is an accomplished trial attorney with more than 25 years of experience. His practice includes defending businesses and individual clients in premises liability, professional liability, business litigation, transportation and dram shop claims.

Rima focuses her legal practice in the areas of premises liability, general liability and construction liability. She also handles breach of contract, construction defect, personal injury, products liability and transportation litigation claims.