Maria Bouknight has filed a negligence complaint against BJ’s Restaurants, Inc. in the Circuit Court of the 157th Judicial Circuit in Palm Beach County, Florida on May 28, 2024. The lawsuit stems from an incident that occurred on April 10, 2023, at one of BJ’s Restaurants' locations.
According to the court documents, Maria Bouknight was a business invitee at BJ’s Restaurants located at 1807 Palm Beach Lakes Blvd, West Palm Beach, FL when she suffered injuries due to a broken chair. The plaintiff alleges that BJ’s Restaurants failed to maintain its premises in a reasonably safe condition and neglected to perform necessary inspections to prevent such accidents. "The Defendant had a duty to maintain its premises in a reasonably safe condition and/or perform inspections on the property so as to prevent injury to business invitees," states the complaint.
Bouknight claims that as she went to sit on a chair within the restaurant, it broke under her weight causing her to fall and sustain multiple injuries. These injuries have resulted in "bodily injury and resulting pain and suffering, disability, disfigurement, mental anguish," among other damages. The plaintiff asserts that these injuries are both permanent and continuing in nature, affecting her capacity for enjoyment of life and necessitating ongoing medical treatment.
The complaint further accuses BJ’s Restaurants of breaching their duty by failing to provide a safe environment free of hazardous conditions and neglecting routine property inspections. As per the legal filing: "Failing to maintain the premises in a reasonably safe condition so as to prevent injury... specifically failing to provide a safe environment free of hazardous and potentially dangerous conditions."
Bouknight is seeking damages exceeding $50,000 along with any additional relief deemed appropriate by the court. She also demands a trial by jury for all triable issues.
Representing Maria Bouknight is Scher & Scher Law Group, P.A., based out of Hollywood, Florida. The case is being overseen by Judge Joseph Abruzzo under Case Number 502024CA004960XXXAMB Div: AK.