Bouncer and Security Liability

Personal Injury Lawyers Representing Victims in Detroit, Traverse City, and Grand Rapids

When you go to a bar or nightclub in Michigan, you expect to be able to drink and have fun. Perhaps you are there to dance or listen to live music. Bouncers and security personnel are hired to maintain a safe environment where everyone can enjoy themselves. Unfortunately, bouncers or security personnel may need to intervene in bar fights or other disputes. They should be properly trained to deal with situations in a nonviolent and appropriate way. However, when a bouncer or security guard does not behave appropriately, the result may be serious injuries. At the Neumann Law Group, our Michigan personal injury attorneys may be able to help victims recover damages based on bouncer or security liability.

Bouncer and Security Liability

In some cases, you may be able to hold a bar or nightclub responsible for injuries inflicted by its bouncer or security guard. A bar may be held vicariously responsible for a bouncer employee who causes injuries in the course and scope of employment. The actions of the bouncer who caused the injuries must have arisen out of their job duties—such as breaking up a bar fight— and be foreseeable rather than totally unrelated to the job.

An establishment may also be held directly liable for injuries caused by security guards if you can prove that the owner’s own actions were the legal cause of the injuries. Direct liability theories include the premises liability theory of negligent security or theories like negligent hiring, negligent supervision, or negligent training.

For example, if a bar owner hires a bouncer who has a history of violent felony arrests and convictions, the owner may be liable under a theory of negligent hiring for the bouncer’s subsequent violent conduct on the job, if it results in an injury to a patron. Similarly, if a nightclub hires a security guard with no experience or training, and then the security guard gets overly aggressive while removing a drunk patron, causing injuries, the nightclub might be liable under a theory of negligent training.

A bouncer or security guard who causes injuries may also be liable under theories of assault and battery as well as negligence. Assaults are any intentional actions that are intended to cause a reasonable apprehension of imminent and harmful conduct. For example, if a security guard takes out a gun or a fake weapon and threatens a patron with it, this would likely give rise to an assault cause of action. No actual touching is necessary for assault to occur. Battery is also an intentional tort in Michigan, and it may occur if there is an intentional unauthorized touching.

Securing the Services of a Personal Injury Attorney without Upfront Costs

Neumann Law Group chooses to representing personal injury clients under a contingent fee structure, ensuring that you bear no legal fees unless you emerge victorious. In essence, we take on your entire case without any upfront charges. Compensation for our services is contingent upon you securing a monetary award, payable only at the conclusion of your case. This means you won’t have to deal with any out-of-pocket expenses, such as hefty retainer fees or costly hourly billing. The inherent advantage of a contingent fee arrangement lies in the fact that our attorneys only receive payment when you do. If your case doesn’t result in a payout, you pay nothing.

In the event we do win your case, you may be required to cover court costs and filing fees from the settlement you receive, separate from the contingent fee. Additionally, fees for specialized services, like those offered by an accident reconstruction specialist, may be applicable. However, under a contingent fee arrangement, you’re only obligated to settle these expenses at the conclusion of your case if you emerge victorious. Importantly, in an unsuccessful lawsuit, our firm won’t present you with a bill for costs—you won’t be held responsible for covering them.

Seek Assistance from a Traverse City or Grand Rapids Lawyer

Often, bar or nightclub employees in Michigan, such as bouncers, do not have sufficient resources to compensate someone for the injuries that were inflicted. It may be advisable to sue both the employee and the establishment. If you are hurt or a loved one is killed, and you are trying to establish bouncer or security liability, our Traverse City and Grand Rapids premises liability attorneys may be able to assist you. We also represent people in Detroit, Flint, Lansing, Ann Arbor, Kalamazoo, Midland, Muskegon, Saginaw, Wyoming, Petoskey, Warren, and Holland, among other communities in the Upper Peninsula. Contact the Neumann Law Group at 800-525-NEUMANN or via our online form for a free appointment with a personal injury or wrongful death lawyer.