A young man lightly knocked on the plate glass storefront window of a restaurant in an apparent effort to get the attention of the restaurant owner’s daughter.
Without warning, the glass shattered into large, thick, razor-edged pieces. One piece sliced through the young man’s left hand while another cut his neck. He fell, suffered catastrophic blood loss, and died from his injuries.
BRILL & RINALDI, The Law Firm represented the young man’s mother in wrongful death claims against the restaurant and its owners.
Investigation Reveals a Danger Hidden in the Glass
Determining why a storefront window shattered from such an ordinary act required a detailed investigation.
An engineer retained in the case examined the glass using specialized laboratory equipment, including a scanning electron microscope and an EDS spectrograph. The investigation determined that 
the restaurant owners had failed to replace the storefront window after purchasing the restaurant years earlier, even though the glass contained multiple BB holes.
Those existing BB holes had compromised the structural integrity of the glass, creating a dangerous condition that ultimately had devastating consequences.
The scientific analysis provided critical evidence explaining why a seemingly harmless knock on the window could cause the plate glass to break apart.
Confidential Settlements for His Mother
BRILL & RINALDI, The Law Firm pursued wrongful death claims against the restaurant and its owners on behalf of the young man’s mother.
The restaurant and its owners ultimately agreed to resolve the claims through confidential settlements.
The case demonstrated why property owners must take dangerous conditions seriously, even when a defect may not appear immediately threatening. Through detailed investigation and scientific analysis, the firm was able to identify the compromised condition of the storefront glass and pursue accountability for the young man’s death.