Lawsuit Filed Against Indianapolis Chipotle Restaurant

A man whose car was crushed in April has filed a lawsuit against the restaurant and the owner and manager of the property where the incident occurred. During the accident, a large brick-and-cinder-block structure supporting a sign at the Indianapolis Chipotle restaurant collapsed and landed on his car. The man, who suffered a concussion and had his car totaled, is seeking unspecified damages.

Case Details

The plaintiff in the case, Mike Ford, had just parked his car at the Chipotle restaurant on E. 86^th Street in Nora and was exiting the vehicle when the sign collapsed. Photos from the scene show the extent of the damage, with nearly the entire roof of the car crushed to the level of the door handles.

Ford escaped serious injury only because of lucky timing: He was moving to leave his car when the sign collapsed, and his body was positioned just right so that instead of being crushed under the weight of the rubble, he was thrown to the side. Based on the damage done to the car, it’s not hard to accept Ford’s belief that he could have been killed. There were high winds in the area that day, which might have contributed to the collapse.

Negligence of Defendants

Ford’s suit alleges that Chipotle and the other defendants were negligent in their legal duty to ensure the safety of those using the premises. The collapse of the sign, the suit argues, was a direct result of the defendants failing to properly maintain the building and grounds.

The circumstances of this case are unique, but the principles involved are well-established. Businesses and property owners who allow or invite the public—customers—onto their premises are expected to ensure that no one is injured on those premises and can be held accountable when an injury does occur.

Contact a Premises Liability Attorney Today

If you or a loved one have been injured while on someone else’s property or if you have suffered damage to your property because of a dangerous condition that was allowed to continue, you may be entitled to recover damages through a premises liability claim against the responsible parties, whether an individual or a corporation.

Contact the Indianapolis Premises Liability Attorneys of Wilson Kehoe Winingham. The lawyers at WKW can help you get the compensation you deserve. Call 317.920.6400 or fill out an online contact form for a free, no-obligation case evaluation.

Share This Article