Attacks can happen anywhere, from private homes to public land. In public spaces, property and business owners have a responsibility to help prevent those attacks. Hotel and bar liability for an assault in Louisiana can be complicated, but a Louisiana assault lawyer can help you determine who to hold accountable for this devastating act.
A Property Owner’s Duty of Care
Property owners owe a duty of care to visitors. They must take reasonable steps to keep visitors safe from foreseeable harm, which can include harm done by other visitors to the property. What’s considered reasonable varies depending on the circumstances.
In general, duty of care means that property owners must provide sufficient lighting in dark areas, including hallways, stairwells, and parking lots. In some circumstances, additional steps must be taken to protect the public. In bars and hotels that have a history of violent incidents, a security guard could reasonably be expected to be present to prevent further harm. If no such steps were taken following past incidents, that could leave the business liable for the attack that occurred.
Foreseeable Attacks
Prior attacks don’t need to have happened on the property for a bar or hotel owner to be held liable for an assault that occurred on their premises in the Pelican State. In areas with a history of violent crime, they may be required to take preventative action. We can use things like police reports and internal security logs to prove that the establishment was located in an area prone to criminal activity.
Even in safe areas, hotel owners must take steps to secure their rooms, such as making sure that the doors have functional locks and installing security cameras in appropriate places.
How a Lawyer Can Help You
An assault lawyer can gather evidence that proves not just what happened but that the property owner did not take reasonable steps to prevent the attack that left you injured. We can help you identify all of the damages that occurred as a result of your attack, from hospital bills and missed wages to pain and suffering, and help you negotiate a fair settlement with the business’s insurance company that covers all of those damages.
Louisiana is home to 1,667 tracked bars and around 1,033 official hotel properties. If an attack happened on one of these business premises, working with an assault lawyer is the most effective way to make sure that you are properly compensated for what occurred.
Hire an Assault Lawyer Today
If you’ve been assaulted at a bar or hotel, it’s time to hire an assault lawyer who can help you hold the liable parties accountable. That could include not just the person who attacked you, but also the bar or hotel itself.
You can trust the team here at Ron Austin Law to assist you with your case. We’ve been in practice for over 20 years, and in that time, we’ve handled countless complex cases under Louisiana assault laws, including many that took place at bars or hotels.
Let us handle the details of your case, like collecting evidence and negotiating a settlement, while you focus on healing and moving on. Contact us to schedule an initial consultation today.
