When a Bar Fight Results in Catastrophic Injuries

 Posted on November 22, 2016 in Catastrophic Injuries

Imbibing in alcohol is a popular social pastime within the United States, especially following a long work week. Those who partake in alcohol often do so to enjoy the psychological effects, including the release of inhibitions and social anxieties. These effects influence behavior otherwise unseen under normal circumstances. Occasionally, too much alcohol results in aggression that escalates into a fight. Unfortunately, these physical altercations can lead to catastrophic injuries or even death.

What is a Catastrophic Injury?

The familiar term “catastrophe” refers to a sudden and unforeseen event that has a disastrous end. In a legal sense, injuries that are catastrophic prevent a victim from performing everyday behaviors permanently. Injuries classified as catastrophic dependent on their severity are:

• Blindness;
• Brain Injuries;
• Broken Bones; and
• Burns.

What Does Alcohol Have to Do With Injuries?

Not only does alcohol release inhibitions, but it is also scientifically proven to reduce psychomotor performance. Alcohol that is not processed by the liver goes to the rest of the body, including the brain. Once it begins affecting the brain, some symptoms of impairment become evident, including:

• Difficulty walking;
• Impaired vision;
• Slurred speech;
• Slower reaction times; and
• Impaired memory and judgment.

Any of these symptoms may lead to more severe injuries. For example: if you are having difficulty walking and experience a slip and fall, due to slower reaction times you may not catch yourself resulting in more than a scraped knee and hands.

The Perfect Storm

Most individuals have the ability to go out for a night on the town and enjoy a drink or two and have an enjoyable evening. Studies show that although alcohol has different effects on each person, only about 25 percent of the population becomes a “mean” drunk. However, keep in mind that a staggering 88 percent of murderers also have admitted the involvement of alcohol. When an individual with a controlled anger problem becomes enraged with alcohol and attacks someone who has also been drinking that cannot adequately judge the situation and react quickly enough to protect themselves, injuries become exacerbated and may potentially become catastrophic.

A victim of a bar fight can experience injuries and medical bills large enough to create financial trouble. Fights break out more often involving at least one person who is a “regular,” and if the bar knew of a violent past, they owed you a duty. They also may have over-served the beverages and perhaps had inadequate security in place.

If you have injuries that are disrupting your daily life and ability to work, you owe it to yourself and your family to explore your options by contacting a San Jose, CA personal injury attorney. Call The Law Office of John J. Garvey, III today at 408-293-7777 to schedule a free initial consultation. We proudly assist our clients in Santa Clara County, Alameda County, Santa Cruz County, Monterey County, and surrounding areas.

Sources:

http://www.who.int/substance_abuse/publications/alcohol_injury_summary.pdf

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2764986/

http://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/aa63/aa63.htm 

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/you-illuminated/201005/farewell-bar-fights