When a night out leads to injury
You’ve had a long week, and you deserve time to relax and unwind after work. You would never expect casual drinks with coworkers to turn into a hospital trip and a lawsuit, but dangers within a bar are always a possibility. It’s good to know what could cause an accident and how to avoid one.
Floor conditions
In an establishment that exists to sell drinks, liquids are bound to find their way to the floor at some point. Wet, sticky or otherwise unsafe floors cause millions of injuries every year. While the bar is responsible for keeping things safe, you should still keep an eye out for:
Watch out for signs that point out wet or otherwise dangerous floors. It can be much easier to pick out a bright yellow sign than a small puddle.
Poor lighting
Not being able to see properly could make it easier to encounter floor hazards or hide easily tripped-over objects. The atmosphere of a bar can cause as much danger as it does set the mood. If that mood lighting results in someone injuring themselves, the bar could be at fault for creating the hazardous situation.
Be careful when moving through a dark area, and use a flashlight on your phone, if available. Low visibility is the responsibility of the bar, but you should still take care to avoid hazards where you can.
Other patrons
On top of environmental dangers, the other people in the bar could cause you harm as well. Intoxication can lead to someone accidentally – or even deliberately – hurting you. Watch out for people acting disorderly, and try to avoid larger crowds when moving around the bar.
In Indiana, the bar could be liable for your injuries caused by a drunk person – if they knowingly served someone who was already drunk. Avoiding the overcrowded areas of the bar and steering clear of anyone who has had too much to drink can help to keep you safe.
If you do get hurt on your night out, be sure to document whether the bar was responsible because these hazards were not taken care of.
