In a premises liability and negligence case, a man who was attending a family event at a tavern secured a $550,000 settlement following injuries sustained during his forcible removal from the property. The plaintiff was represented by Michael T. van der Veen and the attorneys at van der Veen, Hartshorn, Levin, and Lindheim.
The incident occurred in February 2020 while the plaintiff was attending a birthday celebration at a tavern where his family had reserved a private area. As he attempted to navigate to the restroom, he encountered an individual blocking his path. What began as a benign encounter escalated when tavern employees forcibly removed him from the premises. The plaintiff was carried horizontally across the tavern’s deck and ultimately dropped in the parking lot by two employees.
As a result of the incident, the plaintiff suffered severe neck injuries, including herniated discs that necessitated an anterior cervical discectomy/annuloplasty surgery at C4-5 and C5-6.
van der Veen argued that the tavern was negligent in its handling of the situation, emphasizing that the plaintiff posed no threat once removed from the premises. The employees’ actions directly caused his injuries when they carried him out and dropped him in the parking lot.
The case resulted in a $550,000 settlement, compensating the plaintiff for his injuries, pain, and suffering.