Restaurant Employee Participated in Assault...

by Sharon
(Florida, USA)

On Saturday I was beaten in a restaurant parking lot. A woman beat me up and some of the employees of the restaurant witnessed this but did nothing to help me. One of them even came over and hit me and pulled my hair. I did not know her name at the time, but I do now.

The restaurant owner did not come outside or try to help me in any way. The woman who was beating me was arrested and I went to the emergency room for my injuries. Is the restaurant owner responsible if their employee saw the assault and did nothing to help (but actually participated in the assault)?

Disclaimer: Information provided in your response is not formal legal advice, it is generic legal information and is based on the very limited information given in your question. You should always get a formal case evaluation from a licensed attorney.

ANSWER for "Restaurant Employee Participated in Assault...":

Sharon (Florida, USA):

If the assault occurred on the restaurant property the owners of the restaurant will probably share liability in your assault.

The first action to take is to seek medical attention. Documenting your injuries is very important. Your injuries and the associated medical bills will serve as the foundation of your case against the restaurant.

The second action to take is getting a copy of the police report. The police report will also be a strong part of the foundation of your case.

Monitor the criminal case. Make sure you find out which prosecutor is handling the criminal cases of the parties involved in the assault. The prosecutor has a great deal of input into the way the criminal cases against those who assaulted you are finally resolved.

If the prosecutor offers probation as part of the plea agreements, she can make paying all your medical bills a condition of their probation. If they fail to pay those bills their probation can be revoked. Revocation of their probation can result in their being jailed.

You can always consult with a personal injury attorney if you need some advice. Most will not charge any fee for an initial office consultation.

Since laws change frequently and across jurisdictions you should get a personalized case evaluation from an attorney licensed in your state (if you haven't already). Find an experienced local attorney to give you a FREE personalized case review here.

Best of luck,

Law Guy

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