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Virginia Woman Sues Outback Steakhouse for $1.5M Over Alleged Mashed-Potatoes Slip

Moved to federal court on May 27, 2026, the lawsuit accuses the chain of negligence after a 2023 fall while Outback says it had no notice and disputes the injuries.

Overview

  • Tracy J. Renshaw says she stepped on a slippery substance that appeared to be mashed potatoes on May 14, 2023 and fell face-first on the floor, which she says caused serious, permanent injuries.
  • Renshaw filed suit in Loudoun County Circuit Court in 2025 and the case was removed to the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia on May 27, 2026.
  • The complaint alleges Outback allowed the spill to remain, failed to warn customers and breached its duty of care, and it seeks $1.5 million for pain, medical costs and lost earning capacity.
  • Outback has denied the allegations, argued it had no notice of a hazardous condition, disputed the extent of the injuries and asserted defenses including that any hazard was open and obvious, assumption of risk and contributory negligence.
  • The filing lacks detailed medical descriptions, the Sterling location named in the suit is listed online as permanently closed, and reporters note the case is one of several recent customer-injury lawsuits involving the chain which could shape litigation and public scrutiny going forward.