Alcohol is the beverage of choice in bars, and when consumed, alcohol can affect people differently. Alcohol can cause someone to experience extreme happiness, or deepen his or her depression, and cause people to feel angry or behave violently.
So, what happens when you’re injured during a bar fight? You may want to know who is liable, and how you will cover the costs of medical bills. What about your lost wages, or your pain and suffering? These are all important questions for people who have been involved in bar fights, and the answers to these questions will depend on the unique circumstances of your case.
Who Is Responsible For My Injuries?
1. Your Attacker
The person who attacked you is going to be liable to you under intentional tort principles. And while it may seem obvious to sue your attacker, you may want to consider suing the establishment.
2. The Bar
A typical personal injury case will involve a claim against the bar for damages that resulted from a fight or other altercation. This would be called a negligence case. The only exception to this would be if the parties involved in the altercation mutually agreed upon the fight.
To prevail in a case against a bar, you would have to prove that the bar was negligent and that the bar’s negligence caused your injury. For instance, bars have the following duties:
- All bars have a duty to act reasonably to provide the security necessary for their customers.
- All bars have a duty not to serve intoxicated customers.
- A bar must provide security.
- A bar or has a duty under dram shop laws to monitor its patrons to make sure that it does not serve patrons who are already inebriated.
Determining whether a hotel or other business breached its duty of care requires careful investigation into your case. Some information your attorney may want to know may include what the bar knew or should have known, and what they could and should have done to prevent the altercation that occurred on their premises.
What To Do Next
As in any personal injury case, there are things that you can do immediately after the incident that will help your case immensely. If you were attacked in a bar, you must report the incident to the management of the bar immediately. Here are a few more tips about what to do if you or someone you know has been involved in an altercation:
1. Contact the police.
This may seem obvious, but many people often neglect to seek medical attention following an incident if their injuries are not readily apparent. However, it is crucial that you contact the police in order to initiate an investigation and ensure the matter is documented.
2. Seek medical care.
People often fail to seek medical attention immediately following an altercation because they may not feel as though they have been injured. However, not all injuries may be apparent at first. Conditions such as insomnia, anxiety, and digestive issues are all potential medical conditions that can develop following a violent incident. So, even if you don’t think your injuries are serious, get medical care as soon as possible by visiting a hospital, urgent care clinic or your primary care physician so they evaluate you.
3. Talk to a lawyer.
An experienced attorney can help you navigate these issues and determine the best course of action.
For these reasons and many more, it is critical to have an experienced attorney advocating on your behalf. Brian Zeiger is an experienced criminal defense attorney who will vigorously defend your rights. Contact The Zeiger Firm today at (215) 546-0340 for a consultation, and let us help you.
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