This judgment completed a premises liability case in Winston-Salem, North Carolina against multiple defendants.
Two of the defendants settled after the complaint was filed, discovery was answered (interrogatories, request for production of documents) and multiple depositions.
The basis of the case was this: Plaintiff was at a Mexican bar. He was standing outside in the smoking area of the bar, also being the sidewalk of the shopping center. Two thugs had just been kicked out of the bar by the bouncer for being rowdy and provoking. The bouncer escorted the thugs to the door. At that point, they walked past the plaintiff, walked back behind him, and without warning to plaintiff, the thugs began pummeling him from behind.
Injuries included a broken jaw (two places), several night stay in the hospital, wired jaw for a month, permanent popping in jaw.
The landowner and bar settled earlier. The main issue with them was the questions of whether (1) this was foreseeable & (2) preventable. Armed with extensive investigations to identify the number of criminal activities & 911 calls that occurred at the shopping center & bar, we were able to show bar owner and land owner should have known activity such as the beating complained of was likely to occur and foreseeable. The big question was whether a proper security guard and/or properly trained bouncer could have prevented the two thugs from jumping the plaintiff.
While there was a settlement and payments by bar and landowner to plaintiff, this $408,880 judgment against the two thugs is unlikely to ever be collected.
If you, a friend, or family has been injured in an accident, call Kirk Sanders at Sanders Law Firm, PLLC (336-724-4707) to discuss your case.
