Casinos are supposed to be a place to have fun and take risks, but none of those risks should end up being physical. Casinos are often dark and have a lot of drinking, which can increase safety risks. In addition, negligent security can allow bad actors to come in and cause problems for other patrons. Even security officers themselves might help threaten safety, and they could even be responsible for injuries to patrons.
If you were hurt in a casino in Maryland, call Rice, Murtha & Psoras today. Our Maryland attorneys for injuries that occurred in a casino might be able to take your case and fight to take the responsible parties to court, file a lawsuit to claim compensation for your injuries, and get you the damages you need for medical bills, lost wages, pain and suffering, and other damages. For a free legal consultation on your potential case, call us today at (410) 694-7291.
Types of Injuries at a Casino in Maryland
Patrons can be hurt in a casino from a number of different sources of danger. Some of these risks can be mitigated by proper safety, better cleaning and care for the premises, or other changes that should have been made before someone got hurt. Often, when people are injured in one of the following ways, they might be entitled to file a lawsuit that could include the casino itself as an at-fault party.
Assault and Battery Injuries
When money and drinking are involved, even mild-mannered people could get angry enough to cause injuries to other people around them. If you were involved in a fight with another casino patron or someone got mad and hit you, you are usually entitled to sue them for the injuries they caused you. Even if the injuries were caused by a member of the casino’s staff or security staff, you could be entitled to sue. Unlike police officers, private casino security staff usually have no right to use force against a patron, and they cannot typically put their hands on you unless it’s in self-defense. Talk to a lawyer about whether you can sue for injuries you sustained from assault and battery at a casino, no matter who caused the injuries.
Sexual Assault Injuries
Another unfortunately common cause of injury at casinos is sexual assault. Especially in casinos with bars, night clubs, and hotels, drunk patrons or predatory patrons might have put their hands on you. Even worse cases often involve drugged victims or victims who were over-served and could not consent. Talk to an attorney in a confidential legal consultation for help with this kind of case.
Slip and Fall Injuries
One of the most common ways that people are hurt in any building is from a slip and fall. If the bar or casino floor is slippery from a spilled drink or rain or snow that was tracked inside, patrons could slip and fall. While caution signs might be put up warning about the wet floor, these signs are no help if they get knocked over or if you can’t see them on the darkened casino floor. Other tripping and slipping hazards are usually supposed to be cleaned up by casino custodial staff, and any failure to do so could make the casino responsible for your injuries.
Structural Collapse, Stair, and Railing Injuries
Buildings with multiple levels, nightclub dance stages, and other elevated platforms might have stairs, hand railings, and supports to make these platforms safe. If any of these structures are damaged or need to be replaced, the casino could be responsible for any injuries that patrons suffer because of them. Broken handrails or stairs could cause people to suffer serious injuries during a fall, and collapsing floors could cause substantial injury or death to people on the platform as well as the people below the collapse.
Suing Casinos for Injuries in Maryland
If you or a loved one was injured in a casino, you might be entitled to sue the casino for the injuries you faced. If you were hurt by dangers in the casino and negligent acts or omissions committed by casino staff, the casino might be responsible. In other situations, you might have to sue a private individual for injuries they caused you.
Casinos are usually responsible for the upkeep and maintenance of the premises. This means that slip and fall injuries from spills that should have been cleaned up and injuries from collapsing stairs or platforms are usually the casino’s fault.
Casinos are also usually responsible for injuries their staff members cause. This means that if a security officer at a casino injures you outside of self-defense or if a pit boss knocks you over with a cart full of chips, you could be entitled to sue the casino for the injuries their staff member caused. Moreover, you might have a case against the casino if they hired a staff worker they should have known was dangerous, such as a dealer with a history of assault or a security worker that was fired from somewhere else for aggressively handling patrons.
In some cases, the casino does not share fault in causing the injuries. For instance, if another patron assaulted you, the casino might not be responsible for what that individual did. If they provided negligent security and failed to respond to a dangerous situation or they allowed someone to enter the casino while very intoxicated or while they were in possession of a dangerous weapon, they could be responsible for the negligent security. Otherwise, casinos and bars are not often responsible for injuries their patrons cause after being overserved or injuries they cause from their own choices and actions. However, you can usually still sue the individual who harmed you, so you should still discuss your case with a personal injury lawyer.
Call Our Maryland Casino Injury Lawyer for a Free Case Consultation
If you or a loved one was injured at a casino in Maryland, call Rice, Murtha & Psoras today. Our Maryland attorney for injuries that occurred at a casino might be able to take your case and fight to get you the compensation you need for your injuries, your medical bills, your lost wages, and the pain and suffering of a serious injury. Call our attorneys today at (410) 694-7291 to schedule a free legal consultation and learn more about filing a lawsuit against a casino or a violent patron for the injuries you faced.