A man has died, is $3 million enough?
A fight breaks out in the parking lot. One of the people is knocked to the ground and is unconscious for a short period. What would you do?
The bar staff refused to call for an ambulance. They shut off the lights and closed the tavern. More than half an hour passed and finally someone called 911. The man died within a few hours.
The man's wife sued the company that owned the bar, the bouncer and the bar operator for negligence. What is negligence? Failing to do what a reasonable person would do in similar circumstances.
The jury awarded $3.1 million in total damages. They held the responsibility to be:
- Bouncer 15%
- Bar operator 35%
- Bar owner 35%
- Man who died 15%
What should have been done? The safety of the patrons outside the bar should have been better protected. 911 should have been called. The police were not called and no bar staff or operator asked for help.
The owner of the bar should have provided better training and there should have been more staff on duty.
Do you have adequate safety measures in place for your place of business? Ask for help from your broker or agent. They can work with you and the insurance company to be sure that you are well protected. Take control of your insurance. Bad things can happen to good people.
