Many types of premises liability accidents occur at bars in Virginia. The dangers are heightened at a bar because the patrons are consuming alcohol and may become intoxicated.
The bar’s owner could be responsible for paying the victim compensation for their injuries if their negligence caused the accident. If you were injured at a bar, you need to understand the common types of premises liability accidents that occur to know if you may need to file a claim with the insurance company.
Causes of Slip and Fall Accidents at Bars
One of the most common ways you could be injured at a bar is in a slip and fall accident. A bar owner has a duty to maintain the premises in a safe manner, make repairs or take other actions to remove a danger promptly, and post a warning sign if they cannot rectify the dangerous condition immediately. Common ways that a bar owner’s negligence causes slip and fall accidents include:
- Spilled food and drinks on the floor
- Wet and slippery bathroom floors
- Damaged and uneven flooring
- Inadequate lighting in the bar or parking
- Uneven sidewalks
- Cracks and potholes in the parking lot
- Rain or ice in the parking lot
Bar Fights
When guests at a bar become intoxicated, it is not uncommon for someone to get injured at a bar fight. In Virginia, a bar owner generally does not have a duty to protect guests from intentional torts or criminal assaults by third parties while they are at the bar.
However, there is a limited exception to this rule. A bar owner could face liability if one of the following conditions is proven:
- They had notice of a specific danger right before the assault.
- They knew that criminal assaults against a patron were occurring or were about to occur, indicating an immediate probability of harm to the guest.
Inadequate Security
Property owners are not always required to provide security at their properties or businesses in Virginia. To prove an inadequate security claim, a victim would need to prove the following:
- The owner must have been previously aware of or should have been aware of dangerous conditions on or near the property.
- They failed to take action to remedy the dangers.
Actions they could be required to take include:
- Hire personal security
- Install surveillance cameras
- Place warning signs up to warn patrons of the danger
- Provide additional lighting
- Install an audible or silent alarm
Did you suffer injuries in a premises liability accident at a bar in Virginia Beach or Norfolk? Our experienced premises liability attorneys are here to explain your options and fight for the compensation you deserve. Call our Norfolk office at 757-625-1214 or complete our online form to schedule your free initial consultation today.
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