Protecting Yourself From Bar Fights—Top 5 Tips
When you visit a Southern California bar, you’re just looking forward to a fun night with friends and a few drinks. However, too much alcohol and aggressive personalities don’t go together—and when they meet up, the night’s likely to end in an emergency room visit. Bar fights are a common issue across the United States, but learning how to protect yourself from them can help you steer clear. If you are involved in a bar fight, you may be curious about your legal options. The bar fight attorneys at DeWitt Algorri & Algorri, with a long list of court victories and successful settlements, can advocate for you as you seek justice.
A surprising number of bar fights are halted by people who intervene to deescalate the situation. The majority of fights are stopped by nonaggressive interventions, which include physically separating the sparring fighters or verbally talking the fighters down. Bystanders are more likely to intervene in fights between males than they are to intervene in fights between a male and a female, despite the fact that the latter is more common.
Learn more about our top tips for avoiding bar fights. Ready to discuss your case with the team of bar fight attorneys at DeWitt Algorri & Algorri? We’re committed to helping victims like you. Set up a consultation by calling the bar fight lawyers at 855-WINNING (946-6464) now.
Be Thoughtful About Your Alcohol Intake
Alcohol is very good at taking any minor situation and escalating it to the point of violence or police involvement. Excess alcohol intake leads to bar fights by increasing your willingness to take risks, heightening emotions, and limiting your ability to evaluate your options during a confrontation. If you’re going out on a busy night—for example, when local colleges start back up—be aware of how much you’re drinking.
Always Be Aware of Your Surroundings
It’s easy to get wrapped up in your own little bubble on a night out, which can leave you blindsided when someone lunges at you. Choose seating that gives you an easy exit and a full view of the bar, and do frequent scans of the crowd. If there’s anyone you have conflict with, you’ll have the opportunity to leave before a situation arises.
Deescalate Before Anything Else
Emotions take over during confrontations, and the urge to be the victor is hard to ignore. But no one wins when bar fights escalate; both parties are likely to end up arrested, bar staff may have to intervene, and people in the vicinity may feel unsafe. At the end of the day, your goal is to get home safely, and that means ignoring taunts from the other person. The goal isn’t to win the argument. It’s to avoid a physical confrontation that could leave you injured, arrested, and hit with a civil lawsuit.
Know When It’s Time to Leave—and Don’t Go Alone
If there’s someone causing trouble at your favorite bar, you may want to dig your heels in and stay. After all, why should some poorly behaved drunk person drive you out of your favorite place? But if you feel yourself getting heated, thinking of things you’d say to the other person, or trying to figure out your odds of winning a fight, it’s time to go. You know yourself and your ability to stay out of situations, so if your gut is telling you it’s time to head out then you should listen.
At this point, it’s crucial to leave with a friend—or even better, a group. Bar fights don’t always escalate in the well-lit, relatively safe environment of the bar itself. They often become bloody or even fatal in the back alleys and side streets surrounding these establishments. You do not want to get jumped, and being with other people is a good form of protection.
Stick to Trusted Establishments
Negligent security is always a risk when you go out for the night. Even when security is supposed to intervene and stop bar fights, they can’t always be trusted to do so. They may hang back out of fear of becoming injured themselves or even because they like the entertainment of a fight. You can protect yourself by limiting yourself to bars where you know the staff, their security procedures, and their commitment to safety.
Injured in a Bar Fight? Contact the Bar Fight Lawyers at DeWitt Algorri & Algorri Now
If you get hurt in a bar fight despite your best efforts, don’t wait a moment longer to talk to the bar fight attorneys at DeWitt Algorri & Algorri. Whether you have a case against the assailant, the bar, or an outside security company, we’re ready to advocate for you. Reach out online or call us at 855-WINNING (946-6464) to schedule a consultation now.
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.
