A patron has filed a negligence lawsuit against the First Watch Restaurant Group in Ocala, claiming his finger was permanently injured by a defective chair while he was dining at the establishment.
Thomas Paul Gaines filed the lawsuit against First Watch Restaurant Group Inc. in the Fifth Judicial Circuit Court of Marion County on May 30.
According to the complaint, the incident in question occurred on August 23, 2025, when Gaines visited the First Watch restaurant located at 3411 SW 36th Terrace in Ocala for a meal.
While Gaines was attempting to sit down at a table, he claims a defect in the seating equipment caused his right middle finger to become forcefully caught between the frame and the seat of the chair.
The lawsuit alleges that the flaws in the chair were hidden and not reasonably discoverable by a patron exercising normal caution, thereby constituting a dangerous latent defect.
Gaines alleges that the broken chair created an unreasonably dangerous condition for anyone attempting to use it and that the restaurant owners failed to uphold their duty to maintain a safe environment.
The complaint argues that the dangerous condition had existed for a sufficient period of time that the restaurant staff knew, or should have known, about the hazard through reasonable inspections.
Gaines accuses First Watch of failing to repair the broken chair, failing to remove it from the dining floor, and failing to provide any verbal or written warnings to customers.
As a direct result of the incident, Gaines claims he has suffered a permanent loss of an important bodily function, significant scarring, ongoing pain and suffering, and a loss of capacity for the enjoyment of life.
Gaines is seeking in excess of $50,000 in damages and a jury trial.