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Premises Liability Issues at Stake
March 16, 2006
A recent legal case involving a concert, a drunk driver
and an injured victim has brought challenges to who can
be held liable in a personal injury case. The incident
occurred at the Tweeter Center in Camden, New Jersey at
a 2004 Jimmy Buffett concert. A man who had been drinking
heavily before the concert in the arena’s parking lot,
later drove while under the influence, striking and injuring
Karl Pulliam, a motorcyclist leaving the concert as well.
Pulliam has filed a lawsuit claiming that the concert
promoters, the people running the parking lot, and the
company holding the show itself are all liable for his
injuries. Evidence in the case shows that the parking lot
area was opened up hours before the concert hall was opened,
that there were several outdoor bathrooms available for
people, and that “tailgating” was not only accepted, but
encouraged.
Expanding the liability to include several elements of
any personal injury case is nothing new. For years Pennsylvania
laws have handled such cases as bars, bar owners, hosts
and hostesses, service people and even friends being liable
for the actions of others. Situations that allow for excessive
drinking and ones that do not curb the potential for drinking
and driving are all commonly targeted in personal injury
cases and DUI accidents. These people and businesses are
legally held responsible for the actions of people around
them in certain cases.
Pennsylvania premises liability and personal injury laws
are some of the most complex ones in the country. Each
personal injury case consists of potentially thousands
of elements that must be sorted through in order to make
an effective determination of truth. The law protects people
from others and these laws tend to include other factors
as well. Conditions that could have been in place to prevent
the accident, behavior of staff, social acceptances and
others all play an important role in many premises liability
cases.
Cases such as Karl Pulliam’s legal case can be important
in that they can change the behaviors of others and actually
change the laws surrounding those behaviors. These legal
battles are usually taken up in court and their outcomes
can ensure that future injuries or even deaths do not occur.
This type of law is akin to a faulty product that must
be taken off the market so that further harm does not come
to people using it.
The trial lawyers of Reiff & Bily have years of experience
in dealing with Pennsylvania’s complex legal system. While
located in Philadelphia, our office has been dealing with
legal cases throughout the state since 1979. If you or
someone you love has been involved in an accident you believe
could have been prevented, contact us
for a free evaluation.
You may be entitled to several legal rights and financial
awards stemming from your injury. Our Pennsylvania attorneys
will determine each and every element of your case in order
to ensure you receive the most effective legal representation
possible.
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