Similar Lawsuits Continue Across the United States
Debate Over Safety Responsibility in Public Facilities
An incident occurred in the United States where a toilet in the restroom of a well-known franchise restaurant broke, injuring a customer. As a lawsuit is currently underway, this case has once again drawn attention to the country's litigation culture surrounding poor facility management. On December 28 (local time), international media outlets including the New York Post reported the story of a man who, in March, was using the restroom at an Outback Steakhouse on Southwest College Road in Ocala, Florida, when the toilet suddenly shattered and collapsed beneath him.
Michael Green claimed that the accident happened while he was sitting on the toilet in the accessible restroom stall, and that the impact caused him to fall to the floor and suffer serious injuries to parts of his body. In his complaint, Green stated, "This accident has caused me significant limitations in my daily life, including the loss of important bodily functions, and I have also lost the ability to enjoy life." He further alleged that "the restaurant failed to fulfill its basic duty of safety management by not properly securing the toilet to the floor, thereby creating an unreasonably dangerous environment for customers," and held the restaurant liable for negligence. He is currently seeking damages of approximately $50,000 (about 72 million Korean won).
This is not the first time a broken toilet incident has led to a lawsuit in the United States. Last year, in a Dunkin' Donuts store in Florida, a male customer filed a lawsuit seeking $100,000 (about 144 million Korean won) in damages, claiming that while using the restroom, the toilet "exploded," splattering feces and urine all over his body. The man stated that he required intensive treatment due to severe psychological trauma following the accident.
In addition, it is not uncommon in the United States for lawsuits claiming tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars in compensation to be filed over slip-and-fall accidents or facility damage incidents at large supermarkets, fast food restaurants, hotels, and other public facilities. Experts explain, "The United States tends to hold business owners to strict standards of facility safety management, so even minor negligence can lead to major lawsuits." The outcome of the current Outback Steakhouse case is also expected to depend on how the court determines the extent of facility management responsibility and the degree of damage suffered.
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