Location: Los Angeles
Last night I went on a solo dinner date and after paying I was sat at my table waiting for my uber, my server was bringing in large, approx 50 pound umbrellas from the patio and moving very fast around my table, the umbrella fell and very quickly hit my left temple and it was blinding pain. I didn’t pass out, the server was mortified and comped my meal and gave me ice, I was in a lot of shock and my uber had just arrived, but there were witnesses (bartender and another table of people). I left a review on the yelp detailing the incident. I have a raised bump on my left temple and it’s slightly bruised but doesn’t show well in photos. I couldn’t fall asleep that night and then today my symptoms were much worse, I vomited 3 times within a two hour period, I was extremely nauseous, light sensitive, and motion sick. I went to the ER and was confirmed to have a concussion and had to have a catscan to ensure I didn’t have a brain hemorrhage. I have to take a week off of work and am on steroid pills to manage the symptoms as well as anti nausea. The business owner has already contacted me (via phone call) and essentially begged me to not get a lawyer and said they would pay me directly for my hospital bills and time off work. They didn’t even request to see the hospital bill. I haven’t gotten back to the business owner yet with any details since I was just released from the ER and I’m holding off in case I end up needing more medical attention, but I’d like any and all helpful legal advice on how I should go about this and what would be most beneficial for me. The whole situation has me pretty shaken up and I do not want to be taken advantage of, but I’m a 26 year old young woman and I’m a server paid majority under the table so I need to know if it’s in my best interest to go through a lawyer or to deal with the restaurant directly.