Steak N Shake Customer Becomes Disabled: Lawsuit

JOLIET, IL — In May, the Joliet Steak N Shake at 201 S. Larkin Ave. closed. This week, a Naperville law firm has filed a negligence lawsuit on behalf of November 2018 customer, Germaine Moore. Steak N Shake, an Indiana corporation, is being sued surrounding Moore's trip to the bathroom. Moore is now disabled because of his visit to the Joliet Steak N Shake, his lawsuit states.

The new Will County civil lawsuit was filed by attorneys Jonathan Crannell and Evan Sloan of the Plainfield-Naperville Road law offices of Marker and Crannell.

On Nov. 18, 2018, Moore visited the Joliet restaurant "as a business invitee of the defendant, Steak N Shake. At the aforesaid time and place, plaintiff Moore entered the men's restroom when his foot encountered a puddle of water on the floor just inside the door," his lawsuit states.

"Plaintiff Moore's foot slipped out from under him causing him to fall and sustain serious injuries."

According to Marker and Crannell, Steak N Shake had mopped and cleaned the men's bathroom floor "causing it to become dangerously slippery … Steak N Shake knew or should have known of the dangerous condition and that it was foreseeable and likely that injury would result therefrom."

The plaintiff's lawyers have asked a Will County judge to award them in excess of $50,000 in monetary damages for their client as well as the costs of bringing Moore's lawsuit forward and an award of attorneys fees.

"Defendant Steak N Shake's burden in guarding against injury in this case was minimal," Moore's lawyers argue.

The lawsuit spells out six instances of alleged negligence on the part of the Joliet Steak N Shake in regard to Moore's slip and fall injuries. "Plaintiff Moore has become disabled as a result of said accident and has suffered a loss of a normal life," his lawyers contend.

Meanwhile, the Steak N Shake restaurant remains empty on Larkin Avenue. Although WJOL reported in May that the restaurant would soon be reopening under new ownership, that never happened.

Joliet still has one Steak N Shake in operation, it's on Plainfield Road near the Target store.