According to the New Jersey Herald, a retired police officer is suing an Atlantic City restaurant, alleging that he was injured after ingesting a corrosive cleaner in a drink.
The victim, 53, alleges that he was celebrating a business venture at the McCormick and Schmick’s in Harrah’s Resort in Atlantic City in 2012, when he took a sip of beer and felt searing burning in his mouth.
After the incident, he was allegedly hospitalized for a week and suffered burns to nearly 25 percent of his stomach lining. He said a doctor told him he ingested a “lye-like substance used to decontaminate beer.”
“The pain was unimaginable,” the victim said, according to the Herald. “It forced me to run to the bathroom and I immediately began to projectile vomit blood.” One of the doctors who treated the man said that he had never seen a patient survive such horrific injuries.
The restaurant distanced itself from the lawsuit, saying there was no evidence that any other customers experienced issues from drinking beer on tap on the day the man was injured.
In addition to the restaurant, the lawsuit names beer distributor Kramer Beverage as a defendant. The company was contracted to clean the beer lines at the establishment. The case is expected to go to trial later this year.
Can I Hold a Restaurant Liable for My Injuries or Illness?
When people think about lawsuits involving restaurants, they often think about contaminated food causing illnesses. However, as this case allegedly shows, there are other ways establishments can be negligent.
Restaurants are supposed to clean in a way that makes it safe for customers. If you ingest a chemical cleaning product or are injured in a slip-and-fall accident due to sanitary issues, you may be able to hold an establishment liable via a personal injury lawsuit.
Talk to an attorney about your legal rights. You should not have to suffer because an employee and/or an establishment did not meet its duty in providing you with safe and sanitary service.
Our New Jersey lawyers represent injury victims in Middlesex County and have offices in Iselin, New Brunswick and Teaneck.
