Have you ever experienced bad or negligent security In a bar or had a bar continue to serve an intoxicated patron to the point that they cause another harm? Here’s why you should care about the way your favorite club or bar operates. 

We all know from common sense and experience that the consumption of alcohol makes your central nervous system function at a significantly slower rate—this is why alcohol is considered a “depressant.” In addition to delayed response times, and the severely hindered psychomotor skills (when alcohol is consumed in excess), an intoxicated person may be inclined to make poor decisions. Many adults that have consumed alcohol to excess in the past will admit that they have done something that they would never have done if sober. After all, it is referred to as “liquid courage.” So you can imagine how it important it would be for a bar with sober employees to be the best judge of when a person should be cut off from drinking, rather than the person consuming the alcohol.

Can you sue a bar for over-serving?

Connecticut does have a few laws that would hold a bar, restaurant, store or anyone who serves an intoxicated person responsible for any injuries that an intoxicated person causes another party due to intoxication. In CT, we have a law called the Dram Shop Statute (C.G.S. Section 30-102, which imposes liability on any person or establishment that serves alcohol to a person who they know is intoxicated.  Damages are capped under this statute at $250,000.00. Further, if a bar serves a minor, whether intoxicated or not, they are held liable for this conduct in negligence, or even may be held liable for a verdict of punitive damages, in addition to normal compensatory damages.

Cases will vary depending on the situation, and there’s no way better way to determine if you can sue an organization for over-serving intoxicated patrons than to speak with an experienced personal injury attorney for free.

“Play Nice – Don’t Fight”

Another common incident, involving drunk parties is “bar fights.” Drunken patrons can often be unruly and aggressive, and with the overwhelming confidence gained from consuming alcoholic beverages, they could cause harm to an unsuspecting or undeserving attendee. This would expose the facility to being responsible for the damages a party suffers at the hands of those with “beer muscles.”  The claim would be against the establishment to recover damages for serving these intoxicated patrons, and for not having proper security or procedures for removing those from the bar who are becoming aggressive.

Is an organization expected to protect me? 

             Yes, but only to an extent. This area of liability is known as premises liability. Establishments that are open to the public for business are held to fairly strict standards for the protection of their customers. Often an establishment can be held liable if it fails to have enough security in place to deal with aggressive patrons, or if it has notice of aggressive behavior in its facility and it does nothing to remove that party from the establishment. Further, some places are held liable if they are aware of patrons who bring guns and other weapons to the establishment from past experience, but they have no procedure in place to check people before they come into the facility. Poor lighting in the parking lot can also be a reason to impose liability if someone gets assaulted or robbed while in the facility’s parking lot, due to extreme darkness.

If ever you were to be assaulted or harmed in a bar or for that matter any other organization open to the public because the security of the premises was poor that organization can be held responsible for continuing to operate in an unsafe manner. All business owners are expected to convey a certain level of care and responsibility over their patrons. Failure to do this can result in liability being imposed.

SPEAK WITH AN EXPERIENCED NEGLIGENT SECURITY ATTORNEY IN WATERBURY/HARTFORD AREA FOR FREE

If you or a loved one has suffered losses or received injuries that could have been prevented or avoided had an organization taken proper steps safeguard against these dangers, you could be eligible for significant financial compensation to help you recover from your losses.

Speak with an experienced personal injury and negligent security attorney in Waterbury today for a free consultation and case evaluation. All cases are taken on a contingency fee basis. If we accept your case, you pay no fee unless we recover damages for you. Call 203-755-0018.