Who Is Liable for Injuries That Occur in a Bar Fight?

 Posted on May 04,2021 in Personal Injury

Injuries can occur for a wide variety of reasons, and in many cases, they are accidental. However, there are some situations where injuries may be intentionally inflicted. Bar fights are one such situation, and even if a person was not looking to start a fight, they may act aggressively toward someone else and cause them harm. As more bars and entertainment venues begin to open to the public after being closed during the COVID-19 pandemic, it is likely that fights will occur. Those who are injured in these types of fights will want to understand their options for receiving financial compensation. By identifying the parties who were responsible for their injuries, victims can take action to hold these parties liable and receive compensation for their damages.

Liability for Bar Fight Injuries

Whenever a person acts in a way that causes harm to someone else, they can be held liable for the injuries and damages that were inflicted. In cases involving bar fights, a person may be charged with assault and battery, but even if they are not convicted of these charges, they may be held liable for injuries they intentionally inflicted on someone else. Depending on the extent of the victim’s injuries and whether a person acted with reckless disregard for others’ safety, they may be required to pay punitive damages in addition to compensating the victim for the ways they have been affected.

In addition to the person who injured someone else in a bar fight, the establishment where the fight occurred may also be liable. A victim may be able to pursue a premises liability lawsuit against a bar or nightclub if it did not take the proper measures to protect its patrons’ safety. For example, a bar may be liable if it did not provide proper security and remove patrons who were acting aggressively or belligerently towards others. An establishment may also be liable for injuries inflicted by bouncers or security staff who were breaking up a fight.

Victims may also be able to hold a bar liable under Illinois’ “dram shop” law. This law states that an establishment may be liable for injuries that occurred because of a person’s intoxication by alcohol. If a bar served alcohol to a patron that caused them to become intoxicated, and this intoxication led them to injure someone else in a bar fight, the victim may take legal action to hold the establishment liable for their injuries.

Contact Our Rolling Meadows Bar Fight Injury Lawyers

If you have been injured in a bar fight, the lawyers of Newland & Newland, LLP can help you gather the necessary evidence to determine who was responsible, including statements from witnesses, footage from security cameras, and police reports. We will work to hold these parties liable for all of your damages, including the costs of medical treatment, loss of income, and pain and suffering. Contact our Schaumburg assault and battery injury attorneys at 847-797-8000 to set up a free consultation.

Sources:

https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/fulltext.asp?DocName=023500050K6-21

https://courts.illinois.gov/court/CircuitCourt/CivilJuryInstructions/150.00.pdf