Bar Fight Injuries: What to Do When a Night Out Turns Violent
A bar fight is a terrifying experience. Whether you’re sober or you’ve had a few to drink, you never expect a fun night with friends to leave you hospitalized. Bar fights have been a problem for as long as drinking establishments have existed—but now, victims have options. With the help of a Southern California bar fight lawyer, victims like you can demand compensation for their medical expenses, lost wages, and other expenses. Our team of attorneys has a long track record of successful jury awards and settlements for clients, thanks to our experience and commitment. Call DeWitt Algorri & Algorri at 855-WINNING (946-6464) to schedule a consultation now.
What causes bar fights? Knowing the most common triggers of bar fights may help you step away from a confrontation before it gets out of control. Many fights start when men act aggressively toward women. Fights may also be triggered by a game of pool or darts leaving one player embarrassed. The overall effects of alcohol significantly contribute to fights, as alcohol tends to lower your inhibitions.
Immediate Steps to Take After a Bar Fight
What you do right after a fight can make a big difference when it comes to your safety. We recommend:
- Taking immediate action to protect yourself: If the fight is ongoing or the person is still coming at you, get away from them immediately. Call the police to report the accident.
- Getting checked out by a doctor: You should seek medical care right away after a bar fight, no matter how minor or serious it may have seemed at the moment. Proper documentation and treatment of injuries is crucial.
- Collecting evidence: Take photos of your injuries, get contact information for eyewitnesses, and write down everything you remember as soon as possible after the right.
- Reporting the incident: In addition to reporting the fight to the police, talk to management at the bar. Get a written report of the incident to ensure that they have properly documented it and aren’t trying to sweep it under the rug.
- Talking to an attorney: Your next step is to talk to a bar fight attorney in Southern California. You could be entitled to compensation.
Common Injuries
A number of injuries are commonly reported after bar fights. Cuts and bruises are among the most common, and they are generally superficial. These injuries may be caused by fists, open hands, kicks, and the use of weapons. In some cases, deep cuts actually require medical intervention.
Facial injuries are another common outcome, and they can cause both physical injury and mental trauma. Damage to the eyes, bone structure, nose, and teeth can affect your appearance, ability to eat and breathe, and vision.
Head injuries can have severe and long-lasting effects. Traumatic brain injuries, for example, can impact every aspect of your mental and physical functioning. Those with severe traumatic brain injuries may need ongoing rehabilitative care and medical treatment.
Finally, you may experience some soft tissue damage. Damage to the muscles, tendons, and ligaments can cause pain, limited mobility, and swelling. These injuries include sprains, strains, and tears.
Who’s Liable for a Bar Fight Injury?
Perhaps one of the biggest questions in a personal injury claim is, “Who is liable for my injuries?” The assailant may obviously be liable, although this may not be the case if you initiated the fight. In general, the law assumes that the person who started the fight is responsible for the fight in its entirety. The bar itself may also be liable if the bartenders over-served either party when any reasonable party would have stopped or if their employed security personnel did not intervene.
Finally, outside security staff may be liable for your injuries. If their actions—or lack of action—contributed to or even caused the fight, they may owe you compensation. For example, security personnel may intentionally ignore a fight, fail to intervene if they fear for their own safety, or fail to be in their assigned area. In some cases, security personnel have even been caught instigating fights or intentionally riling up participants when they should have been de-escalating the situation.
Regardless of how liability is split, you’ll need a bar fight attorney to advocate for you and help you fight for the compensation you’re owed.
Don’t Talk to the Other Party Without Us—Contact A Bar Fight Attorney from DeWitt Algorri & Algorri Now
There’s a lot at stake when you’ve been injured in a bar fight. Let us hold the negligent party accountable and demand the compensation you are entitled to. Set up your free consultation with our team now by calling us at 855-WINNING (946-6464) or reaching out online.
Mark Algorri has successfully represented individuals and their families in matters involving serious and catastrophic injuries, insurance claims denials, and wrongful deaths, achieving a success rate of 99 percent for our clients.
