Rep. Dennis Kucinich, (D-Ohio) and Restaurant Associates, which runs the congressional cafeteria, have reached a confidential settlement agreement over his Washington DC injury complaint. Kucinich had sued the cafeteria operator for $150,000 for the pain, loss of enjoyment and suffering he experienced after he split his tooth in half when biting into a sandwich wrap that had an unpitted olive in it.
Kucinich says his tooth became infected. He had six teeth replaced, underwent oral surgery, reported an adverse reaction to antibiotics, and had to get emergency medical help for a related intestinal obstruction. Now, the congressman and Restaurant Associates have resolved his case with a settlement that he says covers out of pocket costs for his three surgeries.
Food Lawsuits
Restaurants can be held liable if the food that they serve makes a customer sick or causes injury. Food poisoning, E.coli, foreign substances in food, foods that pose a choking hazard or cause tooth injury, and soups and beverages that are too hot that they can cause burn injuries can lead to Washington DC personal injury lawsuits against a restaurant and its owner.
Restaurant owners must make sure that their kitchens meet all safety and health regulations, all food is properly prepared, and no spoiled foods are served to customers. Failure to exercise these cares can lead to DC personal injury cases.
In Washington DC, you have three years to file such a lawsuit. This doesn’t mean that you should wait until the last minute to file. Your DC personal injury lawyer has a lot of work to do to make your case as solid as possible.
The tortured tale of Rep. Dennis Kucinich and his olive pit, The Washington Post, January 29, 2011
Rep. Dennis Kucinich files lawsuit over olive pit, USA Today, January 26, 2011
Related Web Resources:
Longworth Cafeteria, Yelp