As an adult, many enjoy the fact that they can get into bars or visit wineries to spend time with friends. Whether celebrating a birthday or letting loose on a weekend, drinking alcohol in designated locations is ingrained in society. While injuries caused by intoxicated individuals are not uncommon, as lost balance and poor decision-making can occur, when the establishment is responsible for injuries, understanding who can be held liable for the damages you’ve sustained is vital. If you’ve suffered injuries in a bar or winery, a Tom Green County, Texas personal injury attorney can help you pursue justice.
How Do Injuries in a Bar or Winery Occur?
Unfortunately, due to the nature of bars and wineries, there are numerous ways in which an injury can occur. These locations are often crowded, loud, and dark, which can increase the risk of injuries.
Most commonly, premises liability is the main cause of injury for patrons. This could be because of spills that are not cleaned up by staff in a timely manner leading to slip-and-falls. Additionally, if the facility is not maintained, such as failure to fix fixtures like loose flooring, broken lights, or damaged furniture, injuries can occur.
Though many wineries are in open, outside areas, injuries still can occur due to the negligence of the staff. For example, if equipment and tools are left out causing you to trip, or the paths for patrons are not properly maintained, visitors can fall and sustain injuries.
However, it’s also important to understand that injuries can occur if a patron is overserved alcohol. Texas has Dram Shop laws that hold bar owners accountable if their employees overserve a patron who is involved in a drunk driving crash. Similarly, you can hold the owner of the establishment liable if they continue to serve a visibly intoxicated guest and that guest sustains injuries or injures another patron.
Who Can Face Liability for the Injuries Sustain in Bars and Wineries?
In most instances, the owner of the bar or winery will be held liable for the injuries endured by patrons. Generally, if the owner is aware of the hazards or they have not properly trained staff to remedy situations that lead to injuries, they can be held responsible for damages.
If you wish to pursue legal action, you’ll need to prove negligence on behalf of the owner. Unfortunately, this can be challenging especially if the witnesses to the injury were also intoxicated. However, photos, videos, and witness statements from sober onlookers can help illustrate negligence on behalf of the establishment.
Unfortunately, what can start as a fun night out with friends can quickly get turned upside down if you sustain injuries due to an unsafe premises. Enlisting the assistance of an experienced attorney is vital to recovering the compensation you deserve if you’ve been injured due to the negligence of a bar owner. At the Mathis Law Firm, PLLC, we understand how devastating these injuries can be. Contact our committed team today to learn how we can assist you.
