How Bar Owners Can Prevent & Manage Frivolous Lawsuits
Posted on: January 27, 2021 by RMS Hospitality

It’s no secret that clients in the bar and tavern industry have to deal with the occasional belligerent drunk. While most bars across the country have shut down, as far as in-house services, some are still open in the wake of COVID-19. Regardless of whether a bar welcomes in-house patrons, clients in the industry always need to be aware of drunk customers to keep frivolous lawsuits from occurring.
From raised voices to fistfights to the unfortunate drunk driving incident, bars need to protect not only their customers but their business by detecting and reducing the risk of a claim.
Here are ways in which bar owners can prevent and manage frivolous lawsuits on account of drunk patrons.
Know Dram Shop Laws and Understand Legal Liability
According to unique Dram shop laws in most states, bars are responsible for their overserved patrons. Penalties for overseeing can range from fines to liquor license suspension or loss. If drunk customers leave and hurt someone else or themselves, the bar owner could personally face criminal charges and expensive lawsuits.
Dram shop laws are rules for over-serving alcohol and vary by state. Bars need to become familiar with their state’s alcohol laws and how they relate to drunk customers. In general, state laws are starting to get tougher, laying down heavier fines on those responsible.
Have Thorough Team Training
Many states require all bar staff and managers to undergo third-party responsible server training. Even if states don’t require training, it’s still worth investing in professional training to detect and manage drunk customers that pose a potential threat to themselves, the bar, and those around them. What’s more, training may be a requirement for Sports Bar Insurance Program coverage, which protects clients in the industry from such lawsuits.
What Not to Do
There are certain things that bar owners and their staff should not do when trying to keep the peace. Someone under the influence might react negatively, lashing out at whoever confronts them.
First, staff can choose to ignore the customer when they ask for another drink. However, this might backfire by the customer getting offended and angry by neglect or by moving onto another bartender to make their request.
Staff needs to refrain from serving, no matter how much someone is pleading for another drink. If they do get upset, security needs to be called to step in.
Also, it might be tempting to shout back at them if they become upset. Staff and ownership need to refrain from this as staying calm can help to quell potential further aggression. No matter how angry someone is, they should remain calm and courteous.
As a last resort, if no one of these steps is working, staff and ownership need to reach out to the police. The customer should then move outside so the police can monitor the customer away from the other patrons and off of company property.
About RMS Hospitality Group
At RMS Hospitality Group, our expertly crafted policies are written specifically for the hospitality industry. We offer custom-tailored solutions to meet any venue’s specific needs. For more information, contact our experts today at (888) 359-8390.
Posted in: Sports Bar Insurance
Archives
- February 2021
- January 2021
- December 2020
- November 2020
- October 2020
- September 2020
- August 2020
- July 2020
- June 2020
- May 2020
- April 2020
- March 2020
- February 2020
- January 2020
- December 2019
- November 2019
- October 2019
- September 2019
- August 2019
- July 2019
- June 2019
- May 2019
- April 2019
- March 2019
- February 2019
- January 2019
- December 2018
- November 2018
- October 2018
- September 2018
- August 2018
- July 2018
- June 2018
- May 2018
- April 2018
- March 2018
- February 2018
- January 2018
- December 2017
- November 2017
- October 2017
- September 2017
- August 2017
- July 2017
- June 2017
- May 2017
- April 2017
- March 2017
- February 2017
- January 2017
- December 2016
- November 2016
- October 2016
- September 2016
- August 2016
- July 2016
- June 2016
- May 2016
- April 2016
- March 2016
- February 2016
- January 2016
- December 2015
- November 2015
- October 2015
- September 2015
- August 2015
- July 2015
- June 2015
- May 2015
- April 2015
Categories
- Adult Nightclub
- Assault & Battery Insurance
- blog
- Comedy Club Insurance
- Completed Operations
- Franchise Select
- Hospitality Insurance
- Insurance
- Jazz Club
- Liquor Liability
- Live Music Venue
- Lounges
- Nightclub Insurance
- Press Release
- Pub Insurance
- Restaurant Insurance
- Sports Bar Insurance
- Tavern
- Tavern Insurance
- Uncategorized
- workers compensation