Woman Sues San Angelo Restaurant Over Slip-and-Fall Injury

SAN ANGELO, TX — A Bexar County woman has filed a lawsuit against a San Angelo restaurant, alleging she suffered serious injuries after slipping on a puddle of water while walking to the restroom. 

Pilar Z. Cheney filed the original petition Feb. 12, 2025, in Tom Green County’s 51st Judicial District Court against LOM Group LLC, doing business as Alejandro’s Kitchen & Tequila. The case is assigned Cause No. A250067C.

According to the petition, Cheney was injured on or about Sept. 30, 2023, at the restaurant located at 4388 Sherwood Way. She alleges she stepped into a large puddle of water on the floor, slipped and fell violently in a split motion, causing severe pain to her right hip and right knee. The suit states she sustained visible bruising and experienced pain from her head to her ankles. 

Cheney claims the restaurant was negligent in failing to inspect the floor, warn patrons of the hazard, maintain safe conditions, and remove the water. The petition also alleges gross negligence and invokes the doctrine of res ipsa loquitur.

Res ipsa loquitur is a Latin legal phrase meaning "the thing speaks for itself." It is a doctrine that allows a court to infer negligence simply from the nature of an accident or injury, even without direct evidence of exactly what the defendant did wrong. 

The petitioner seeks monetary damages between $250,000 and $1 million for physical pain, mental anguish, medical expenses, physical impairment and disfigurement. 

In its Jan. 30, 2026, original answer, the defendant generally denied all allegations. The restaurant asserts comparative negligence, claiming Cheney failed to keep a proper lookout. It also raises affirmative defenses including pre-existing conditions, intervening causes and limitations on damages under Texas law, including caps on exemplary damages and restrictions on recovery of medical expenses to amounts actually paid or incurred. 

The defendant further requests to depose Cheney, her family, friends, healthcare providers and expert witnesses, and asks the court to enter judgment that Cheney take nothing. 

A default judgment was entered against the defendant on Dec. 31, 2025. The defendant filed an answer on Jan. 30, 2026, and subsequently filed motions to set aside the default judgment and for a new trial. On April 24, 2026, the court overruled the motion after finding the defendant had been properly served through substitute service and had sufficient time to respond before the judgment was granted. The court denied the defendant’s motion for reconsideration on June 22, 2026.