Man Slips and Falls on Bathhouse Drain, Court Recognizes Owner's Negligence Reason

Customer Falls in Bathhouse... Court "Acknowledges Owner's Negligence"
Anti-slip Mats Installed in Women's Bath Area

The appellate court also recognized the business owner's negligence and imposed a fine in relation to an accident where a customer slipped and fell on a slippery drainage channel at a bathhouse.

Interior photo of a public bathhouse unrelated to the article content [Asia Economy archive photo]

On the 11th, the 1st to 3rd Criminal Appeals Divisions of Ulsan District Court (Chief Judge Lee Bong-su) dismissed the appeal and upheld the original sentence of a 2 million won fine against Mr. A, a man in his 60s, who was tried on charges of professional negligence causing injury.

Earlier, at the end of January 2022, Mr. B, a man in his 30s, slipped on a drainage channel installed on the floor while bathing at a bathhouse in Ulsan operated by Mr. A, resulting in a fractured arm. Mr. B underwent treatment for about nine months due to the accident.

A man in his 30s slipped after stepping on a drain installed on the floor of a public bath and suffered a fractured arm. The photo is not directly related to the article. [Image source=Getty Images]

The place where Mr. B fell was a drainage channel with shower booths installed on both sides, where soapy water frequently flowed, and warm water from the bath could overflow into the drainage channel. The drainage channel was 13 cm wide, making it highly likely that users would step on the entire slippery surface with their soles while passing by. Mr. B immediately filed a complaint against Mr. A, claiming that the bathhouse was well aware of these conditions but failed to properly manage safety, which caused his injury.

During the trial, Mr. A's side argued that the accident was unforeseeable, but this was not accepted. The court recognized Mr. A's negligence, noting that the drainage channel was made of slippery tiles and that the bathhouse had installed anti-slip mats in the women's bath drainage channels. The court imposed a fine of 2 million won. Even in Mr. A's appeal, the court maintained the original ruling, stating, "Mr. B's injury cannot be considered unrelated to Mr. A's negligence."