South Florida is known for its nightlife.  From South Beach, Coconut Grove and Downtown Miami, to Las Olas, City Place and Clematis; there always seems to be something to do.  In many Florida nightclubs and bars – especially those catering to the wilder crowd in hopes of becoming a “nightlife hot spot” – a fun night of drinking and dancing can become a violent, drunken brawl in the blink of an eye.  The combination of copious amounts of alcohol and large crowds of people seeking excitement is a recipe for flaring tempers and violent assaults. This is especially dangerous in clubs that are dark and crowded, where patrons who are not even aware of an altercation can be seriously injured because they get in the way or are thought to be involved in the fight.

South Florida nightlife hot-spots have the unfortunate reputation of having some of the highest incidences of violence in the state. Victims of this violence, whether as participants or as innocent bystanders, may suffer grievous injuries or even permanent disability or fatality. If you have been injured in a Florida nightclub or bar by assault by another patron, objects thrown during a fight, or perhaps an overzealous bouncer in the midst of a brawl, you may incur many losses such as large medical bills, lost wages, or even lost earning potential in the case of permanent disability. What can you do to recoup some of those losses?

Who is Liable?

Although individuals involved in the altercation – bouncers or other patrons – may be held responsible for injuries they caused, suing them may not help you recover much in the way of compensation.  College students, bar-hoppers, and bouncers may not have the kind of income or insurance to cover those kinds of expenses, so most victims of nightclub-related violence go after the bars’ owners instead. Bars and nightclubs are required to have insurance, and are much more likely to have the kind of money needed to compensate victims for their losses.

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